Agni Purana

गणद्रव्यं हरेद्यस्तु संविदं लङ्घयेच्च यः । सर्वस्वहरणं कृत्वा तं राष्ट्रद्विप्रवासयेत् ।। २५८.

Whoever misappropriates communal property or violates an agreement, the king shall confiscate all his possessions and banish him from the kingdom.

कर्त्तव्यं वचनं सर्वैः समूहहितवादिभिः । यस्तत्र विपरीतः स्यात्स दाप्यः प्रथमं दम्म ।। २५८.

All those who speak for the good of the assembly must follow its decision; whoever acts contrary in that matter shall first be fined.

समूहकार्य्यप्रहितो यल्लभेत्तत्तदर्पयेत् । एकादशगुणं दाप्यो यद्यसौ नार्पयेत् स्वयम् ।। २५८.

Whatever is obtained by one appointed for the assembly’s work, that must be presented; if he does not present it himself, he shall pay eleven times the amount.

वेदज्ञाः शुचयोऽलुब्धा भवेयुः कार्यचिन्तकाः । कर्त्तव्यं वचनं तेषा समूहहितवादिनां ।। २५८.

Those who are learned in the Vedas, pure, and free from greed should deliberate on the affairs; the words of such assembly-minded speakers must be followed.

श्रेणिनैगमपाखण्डिगणानामप्ययं विधिः । भेदञ्चैषां नृपो रक्षएत् पूर्ववृत्तिञ्च पालयेत् ।। २५८.

This rule applies also to guilds, merchants, heretics, and groups; the king should protect their distinctions and uphold their established customs.

गृहीतवेतनः कर्म्म त्यजन् द्विगुणमावहेत् । अगृहीते समं दाप्यो भृत्यै रक्ष्य उपस्करः ।। २५८.

If someone who has received wages abandons his work, he must pay double; if he has not received wages, he must pay an equal amount, and the employer must safeguard the tools.

दाप्यस्तु दशमं भागं बाणिज्यपशुसस्यतः । अनिश्चित्य भृतिं यस्तु कारयेत्स महीक्षइता ।। २५८.

A tenth part of profit from trade, cattle, or grain must be paid; but if someone employs a worker without fixing wages, the king shall decide the due amount.

देशं कालञ्च योऽतीयात् कर्म्म कुर्य्याच्च योऽन्यथा । तत्र तु स्वामिनश्छन्दोऽधिकं देयं कृतेऽधिके ।। २५८.

Whoever leaves the place or time assigned, or does the work differently, must pay extra to the master, and if more is done, more should be given.

यो यावत् कुरुते कर्म्म तावत्तस्य तु वेतनम् । उभयोरप्यसाध्यञ्चेत् साध्ये कुर्य्याद्यथाश्रुतम् ।। २५८.

For whatever work a person does, he is entitled to wages for that much; if neither side fulfills the agreement, the matter should be settled as heard.

अराजदैविकन्नष्टं भाण्डं दाप्यस्तु वाहकः । प्रस्थानविघ्नकृच्चैव चप्रदाप्यो द्विगुणां भृतिम् ।। २५८.

If goods are lost not by royal or divine act, the carrier must pay; and if he causes delay in departure, he must pay double wages.

प्रकान्ते सप्तमं भागं चतुर्थं पथि संत्यजन् । भृतिमर्द्धपथे सर्व्वां प्रदाप्यस्त्याजकोपि च ।। २५८.

At the journey’s end, a seventh part is due; if abandoned on the road, a fourth; if abandoned halfway, half the wages must be paid, even by one who abandons.

ग्लहे शतिकवृद्धेस्तु सभिकः पञ्चकं शतं । गृह्णीयाद्‌धूर्त्तकितवादितराद्दशकं शतं ।। २५८.

In gambling, the supervisor takes five out of a hundred from the winner’s gain; from a cheat, gambler, or other, he takes ten out of a hundred.

स सम्यक्‌पालितो दद्याद्रज्ञे भागं यथाकृतं । जितमुद्‌ग्राहयेज्जेत्रे दद्यात्सत्यं वचः क्षमी ।। २५८.

He who is properly protected should give the king his due share as agreed; the winner must announce the gain, and the truthful, patient one should speak honestly.

प्रप्ते नृपतिना भागो प्रसिद्धे धूर्त्तमण्डले । जितं सशभिके स्थाने दापयेदन्यथा न तु ।। २५८.

When the king’s share is received in a known gambling circle, the winner must pay it at the place with the supervisor; otherwise, he need not pay.

द्रष्टारो व्यवहाराणां साक्षिणश्च त एव हि । राज्ञा सचिह्ना निर्वास्याः कूटाक्षोपधिदेविनः ।। २५८.

Those who witness transactions are also the witnesses; the king must expel those who cheat with false dice, deception, or false oaths, marking them out.

द्यूतमेकमुखं कार्य्यं तस्करज्ञानकारणात् । एष एव विधिर्ज्ञेयः प्राणिद्यूते समाह्वये ।। २५८.

Gambling should be conducted openly, to prevent thieves and deceit; this same rule applies to animal gambling and contests.

अग्निरुवाच सत्यासत्यान्यथा स्तोत्रैर्न्यूनाङ्गेन्द्रियरोगिणां । क्षेपं करोति चेद्दण्ड्यः पणानर्द्धत्रयोदश ।। २५८.

Agni said: If someone insults those with defective limbs or senses, whether truthfully or falsely, through hymns, he shall be fined twelve and a half paṇas.

अभिगन्तास्मि भगिनीम्मातरं वा तवेति च । शपन्तं दापयेद्राजा पञ्चविशतिकं दमं ।। २५८.

If someone swears, 'I will approach your sister or mother,' the king shall fine him twenty-five coins.

अर्द्धोऽधमेषु द्विगुणः परस्त्रीषूत्तमेषु च । दण्डप्रणयनं क्काय्य वर्णजात्युत्तराधरैः ।। २५८.

For lower castes, the fine is half; for higher castes, double; for the highest, it is twice as much—the penalty is set according to caste and rank.

प्रातिलोम्यापवादेषु द्विगुणत्रिगुणा दमाः । वर्णानामानुलोम्येन तस्मादेवार्द्धहानितः ।। २५८.

For transgressions against the natural order, the fines are double or triple; for actions in accordance with the order of castes, the fine is reduced by half.

वाहुग्रीवानेत्रसक्थिविनाशे वाचिके दमः । शत्यस्ततोऽर्द्धिकः पादनासाकर्णकरादिषु ।। २५८.

When the arm, neck, eye, or thigh is destroyed, the penalty is as for verbal abuse; for injuries to the hand, foot, nose, ear, and similar parts, the fine is half of that.

पतनीयकृते क्षएपे दण्डो मध्यमसाहसः । उपपातकयुक्ते तु दाप्यः प्रथमसाहसं ।। २५८.

For an offense causing loss of caste, the penalty is the middle degree of fine; for a minor offense, the first degree of fine is to be imposed.

त्रैविद्यनृपदेवानां क्षेप उत्तमसाहसः । मध्यमो ज्ञातिपूगानां प्रथमो ग्रामदेशयोः ।। २५८.

For insulting a learned Brahmin, king, or deity, the highest fine is prescribed; for relatives and guilds, the middle fine; for villagers and country people, the lowest fine.

असाक्षिकहते चिह्नैर्युक्तिभिश्चागमेन च । द्रष्टव्यो व्यवहारस्तु कूटचिह्नकृताद्भयात् ।। २५८.

In cases without witnesses, the matter should be judged by marks, reasoning, and tradition; but if there are false marks, the trial must be conducted with caution.

भस्मपङ्करजःस्पर्शे दण्डो दशपणः स्मृतः । अमेध्यपार्ष्णिनिष्ठ्यूतस्पर्शने द्विगुणः स्मृतः ।। २५८.

Touching ashes, mud, or dust incurs a fine of ten paṇas; touching impure substances, the heel, or spittle incurs a double fine.

समेष्वेवं परस्त्रीषु द्विगुणस्तूत्तमेषु च । हीनेष्वर्द्धं दमो मोहमदादिभिरदण्डनम् ।। २५८.

The same rule applies to other men's wives; for women of higher status, the fine is double; for those of lower status, it is half; but if the act is due to confusion, pride, or similar reasons, there is no punishment.

विप्रपीडाकरं च्छेद्यमङ्गमब्राह्मणस्य तु । उद्‌गूर्णे प्रथमो दण्डः संस्पर्शे तु तदर्द्धिकः ।। २५८.

If a Brahmin's limb is injured by cutting, the highest fine is imposed; if it is merely bruised, the fine is half of that.

उद्‌गूर्णे हस्तपादे तु दशविंशतिकौ दमौ। परस्परन्तु सर्व्वेषां शास्त्रं मध्यमसाहसः ।। २५८.

For bruising the hand or foot, the fines are ten and twenty paṇas; for mutual injury among all, the prescribed penalty is the middle degree of fine.

पादकेशांशुककरोल्लुञ्चनेषु पणान् दश । पीडाकर्षाशुकावेष्टपादाध्यासे शतन्दमः ।। २५८.

For pulling out hair, cloth, or hand, the fine is ten paṇas; for causing pain by dragging, binding with cloth, or stepping on the foot, the fine is one hundred.