Agni Purana

अबध्यं यश्च बध्नाति बध्यं यश्च प्रमुञ्चति । अप्राप्तव्यवहारञ्च स दाप्यो दममुत्तमम् ।। २५८.

Whoever binds one not to be bound, or releases one who is bound, or engages in unauthorized litigation, must pay the highest penalty.

मानेन तुलया वापि योंऽशमष्टमकं हरेत् । द्वाविंशतिपणान् दाप्यो वृद्धौ हानौ च कल्पितम् ।। २५८.

Whoever, by weight or measure, takes away an eighth part, must pay twenty-two paṇas, with the increase or decrease calculated accordingly.

भेषजस्नेहलवणस्नेगन्धधान्यगुड़ादिषु । पण्येषु प्रक्षिपन् हीनं पणान्दाप्यस्तु षोडश ।। २५८.

One who adulterates medicines, oils, salt, perfumes, grains, or other goods must pay a fine of sixteen paṇas.

सम्भूय कुर्व्वतामर्घं सबाधं कारुशिल्पिनां । अर्थस्य ह्रासं वृद्धिं वा सहस्रो दण्ड उच्यते ।। २५८.

If artisans or craftsmen collude to fix prices or restrict trade, causing loss or gain in value, the penalty is a thousand.

राजनि स्थाप्यते योऽर्थः प्रत्यहं तेन विक्रयः । क्रयो वा निस्रवस्तस्माद्वणिजां लाभकृत् स्मृतः ।। २५८.

Whatever price is set daily by the king, that is the rate for sale or purchase; profit made by merchants beyond this is considered unlawful.

स्वदेशपण्ये तु शतं वणिग् गृह्णीत पञ्चकं । दशकं पारदेश्ये तु यः सद्यः क्रयविक्रयी ।। २५८.

A merchant should take five out of a hundred for goods from his own country, and ten for foreign goods, when buying and selling immediately.

पण्यस्योपरि संस्थाप्य व्ययं पण्यसमुद्भवं । अर्थोंऽनुग्रहकृत् कार्य्यः क्रेतुर्विक्रेतुरेव च ।। २५८.

The cost arising from the goods should be added to the price, and a reasonable profit should be made for both the buyer and the seller.

गृहीतमूल्यं यः पण्यं क्रेतुर्नैव प्रयच्छति । सोदयन्तस्य दाप्योऽसौ दिग्लाभं वा दिगागते ।। २५८.

If someone, having received payment, does not deliver the goods to the buyer, he must pay with interest, or, if the buyer is from another region, the loss due to distance.

विक्रोतमपि विक्रेयं पूर्वे क्रेतर्य्यगृह्णति । हानिश्चेत् क्रेतृदोषेण क्रेतुरेव हि सा भवेत् ।। २५८.

Even if goods have been sold, they may be resold if the previous buyer has not taken possession; but if there is loss due to the fault of the buyer, that loss belongs to the buyer alone.

राजदैवोपघातेन पण्ये दोषमुपागते । हानिर्विक्रेतुरेवासौ याचितस्याप्रयच्छतः ।। २५८.

If goods are damaged by royal authority or by fate, the loss falls upon the seller, unless the goods were specifically ordered and not delivered.

अन्यहस्ते च विक्रीतं दुष्टं वा दुष्टवद्यदि । विक्रीनीते दमस्तत्र तन्मूल्यादद्विगुणो भवेत् ।। २५८.

If something sold to another is found to be defective or is treated as such, the seller must pay a penalty twice the value of the item.

क्षयं वृद्धिञ्च बणिजापण्यानामविजानता । क्रीत्वा नानुशयः कार्य्यः कुर्वन् षड्‌भागदण्डभाक् ।। २५८.

If someone buys goods from merchants without knowing their depreciation or appreciation, he should not be blamed; but if he acts knowingly, he is liable to a fine of one-sixth.

समवायेन वणिजां लाभार्थं कर्म कुर्वतां । लाभालाभौ यथा द्रव्यं यथा वा संविदा कृतौ ।। २५८.

When merchants act together for profit, gain and loss should be divided according to the capital invested or as agreed upon.

प्रतिपिद्धमनादिष्टं प्रमादाद्यच्च नाशितं । स तद्दद्याद् विप्लवाच्च रक्षइताद्दसमांशभाक् ।। २५८.

If something entrusted is lost without instruction due to negligence, the responsible person must pay for it; if lost by calamity, he is liable for one-tenth.

अर्थप्रक्षएपणाद्विंशं भागं शुल्कं नृपो हरेत् । व्यासिद्धं राजयोग्यञ्च विक्रीतं राजगामि तत् ।। २५८.

From the declared profit, the king shall take a twentieth part as tax; goods that are prohibited or suitable for the king, when sold, go to the king.

मित्थ्या वदन् परीमाणं शुल्कस्थानादपक्रमम् । दाप्यस्त्वष्टगुणं यश्च सव्याजक्रयविक्रयी ।। २५८.

One who gives false measurements, evades the place of tax, or buys and sells with deceit, must pay eight times the value as a penalty.

देशान्तरगते प्रेते द्रव्यं दायादबान्धवाः । ज्ञातयो वा हरेयुस्तदागतास्तैर्विना नृपः ।। २५९.

If someone dies in a foreign land, his property should be taken by heirs or relatives who are present; if none are present, the king shall take it.

जिह्मं त्यजेयुर्निर्लोभमशक्तोऽन्येन कारयेत् । अनेन विधिराख्यात ऋत्विक्कर्षककर्मिणां ।। २५९.

They should abandon crookedness without greed; if unable, another should do it. This rule is declared for priests, farmers, and workers.

ग्राहकैर्गृह्यते चौरो लोप्त्रेणाथ पदेन वा । पूर्वकर्मापराधी वा तथैवाशुद्धवासकः ।। २५८.

A thief is apprehended by the buyers, with a shovel or by his footprints, or if he is a repeat offender or wears unclean clothes.

अन्येपि शङ्कया ग्राह्य जातिनामादिनिह्नवैः । द्यूतस्त्रीपानशक्ताश्च शुष्कभिन्नमुखस्वराः ।। २५८.

Others may also be seized on suspicion, such as those who conceal their caste or name, gamblers, drunkards, those with dry or broken voices.

परद्रव्यगृहाणाञ्च पृच्छका गूढ़चारिणः । निराया व्ययवन्तश्च विनष्टद्रव्यविक्रयाः ।। २५८.

Those who enter others' houses, questioners, house-wanderers, those who roam aimlessly, spend excessively, or sell lost goods.

गृहीतः शङ्कया चौर्य्येनाम्नानञ्चेद्विशोधयेत् । दापयित्वा हृतं द्रव्यं चोरदण्डेन दण्डयेत् ।। २५८.

If someone is apprehended on suspicion of theft, he should clear himself by oath; if found guilty, he must restore the stolen property and be punished with the thief's penalty.

चौरं प्रदाप्यापहृतं घातयेद्विविधैर्बधैः । सचिह्नं ब्राह्मणं कृत्वा स्वराष्ट्राद्विप्रवासयेत् ।। २५८.

A thief must restore what was stolen and be executed by various punishments; if a Brahmin is marked as such, he should be exiled from his own country.

घातितेऽपहृते दोषो ग्रामभर्त्तुरमिर्गते । म्वसीम्नि दद्याद्ग्रामस्तु पदं वा यत्र गच्छति ।। २५८.

If a killing or theft occurs, the fault lies with the village headman if he is present; if he is absent, the village as a whole must pay the fine, or wherever the incident took place.

पञ्चग्रामी वहिः क्रोशाद्दशग्राम्यऽथ वा पुनः । वन्दिग्राहांस्तथा वाजिकञ्जराणाञ्च हारिणः ।। २५८.

A person from five villages, or from ten villages outside the boundary, as well as those who seize travelers, horse thieves, and deer stealers—

प्रसह्य घातिश्चैव शूलमारोपयेन्नरान् । उत्क्षेपकग्रन्थिभेदौ करसन्दंशहीतकौ ।। २५८.

Those who commit murder by force should be impaled on a stake; those who throw (victims) down or break joints, or injure hands with pincers—

कार्य्यौ द्वितीयापराधे करपादैकहीनकौ । भक्तावकाशाग्न्युदकमन्त्रोपकरणव्ययान् ।। २५८.

For a second offense, the punishment is cutting off one hand or one foot; the expenses for food, shelter, fire, water, ritual implements must also be paid.

दत्त्वा चौरस्य हन्तुर्वा जानतो दम उत्तमः । शस्त्रावपाते गर्भस्य पातने चोत्तमो दमः ।। २५८.

The highest penalty is to be given to a thief or a killer, if the act is known; the highest penalty also applies for causing a miscarriage by weapon or for causing an abortion.

उत्तमो वाऽधमो वापि पुरुषस्त्रीप्रमापणे । शिलां बद्‌ध्बा क्षिपेदप्सु नरघ्नीं विषदां स्त्रियं ।। २५८.

Whether a man is high or low, if he kills a man or a woman, he should tie a stone to her and cast the murderous or poisonous woman into the water.