Agni Purana

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.

विषाग्निदां निजगुरुनिजापत्यप्रमापणीं । विकर्णकरनासौष्ठीं कृत्वा गोभिः प्रमापयेत् ।। २५८.

A woman who gives poison or fire, who kills her own teacher or child, or who mutilates ears, nose, or lips, should be killed by cows (trampled to death).

क्षेत्रवेश्मवनग्रामविवीतखलदाहकाः । राजपत्न्यभिऽगामी च दग्धव्यास्तु कटाग्निना ।। २५८.

Those who set fire to fields, houses, forests, villages, threshing floors, or granaries, and one who approaches the king's wife, should be burned with a bundle of reeds.

पुमान् संग्रहणे ग्राह्यः केशाकेशिपरस्त्रियाः । स्वजातावुत्तमो दण्ड आनुलोम्ये तु मध्यमः ।। २५८.

A man caught with another's wife should be seized by the hair; if she is of the same caste, the highest fine is imposed; if the union is according to social order, the middle fine applies.

प्रातिलोम्ये बधः पुंसां नार्य्याः कर्णावकर्त्तनम् । नीवीस्तनप्रावरणनाभिकेशावमर्द्दनम् ।। २५८.

In a union against social order, the man is to be executed, and the woman's ears are to be cut off; her waistband, breast-covering, navel, and hair are to be crushed.

अदेशकालसम्भाषं सहावस्थानमेव च । स्त्री निषेधे शतं दद्याद् द्विशतन्तु दमं पुमान् ।। २५८.

For speaking at the wrong place or time, or for being together, a woman should pay a fine of one hundred (coins); a man should pay double the penalty.

प्रतिषेधे तयोर्दण्डो यथा संग्रहणे तथा । पशून् गच्छञ्छतं दाप्यो हीनां स्त्रीं गाश्च मध्यमम् ।। २५८.

If they persist despite prohibition, the punishment is as for being caught together; for going after cattle, a fine of one hundred (coins) is imposed; for a woman of lower status, the middle fine and cows.

अवरुद्धासु दासीषु भुजिष्यासु तथैव च । गम्यास्वपि पूमान्दाप्यः पञ्चाशत् पणिकन्दमम् ।। २५८.

For intercourse with detained female slaves, or with female servants, or with women of easy virtue, a man must pay a fine of fifty paṇas.

प्रसह्य दास्यबिगमे दण्डो दशपणः स्मृतः । कुबन्धेनाङ्क्य गमयेदन्त्याप्रव्रजितागमे ।। २५८.

For forcibly having intercourse with a female slave, the penalty is ten paṇas; for intercourse with a woman marked with a brand, or with an outcaste or a renunciant, he should be paraded (in disgrace).

न्यूनं वाप्यधिकं वापि लिखेद् यो राजशासनम् । कूटस्वर्णव्यवहारी विमांसस्य च विक्रयी ।। २५८.

Whoever writes the king's order as less or more than it is, or deals in counterfeit gold, or sells what has been pledged—

अभक्षैर्दूषयन् विप्रं दण्ड उत्तमसाहसम् । कूटस्वर्णव्यवहारी विमांसस्य च विक्रयी ।। २५८.

One who pollutes a Brahmin with forbidden food is liable to the highest fine; one who deals in counterfeit gold, or sells what has been pledged—

अङ्गहीनश्च कर्त्तव्यो दाप्यश्चोत्तमसाहसं । शक्तो ह्यमोक्षयन् स्वामी दंष्ट्रिणः श्रृङ्गिणस्तथा ।। २५८.

He should be made mutilated, and must pay the highest fine; if the owner is able but does not restrain a biting or horned animal—

प्रथमं साहसं दद्याद्विक्रूष्टे द्विगुणं तथा । अचौरञ्चौरेऽभिवदन् दाप्यः पञ्चशतं दमं ।। २५८.

For a first violent offense, the fine is imposed; if repeated, it is doubled; one who falsely accuses an innocent person of theft must pay a fine of five hundred.

राज्ञोऽनिष्टप्रवक्तारं तस्यैवाक्रोशकं तथा । मृताङ्गलग्नविक्रेतुर्गुरोस्ताड़यितुस्तथा ।। २५८.

The one who proclaims the king's misfortune, and likewise the one who curses him; the seller of objects taken from the dead, and the one who delivers a guru across (a river).

तन्मन्त्रस्य च भेत्तारं छित्त्वा जिह्वां प्रवासयेत् । राजयानासनारोढुर्दण्डो मध्यमसाहसः ।। २५८.

The one who breaks the mantra—cutting his tongue, he should be exiled; for one who mounts the king's seat without authority, the penalty is the middle grade of punishment.

. द्विनेत्रभेदिनो राजद्विष्टादेशकृतस्तथा । विप्रत्वेन च शूद्रस्य जीवतोऽष्टशतो दमः ।। २५८.

For one who injures both eyes, or acts on the king's hated command, or for a Śūdra who claims the status of a Brahmin while alive, the fine is eight hundred.

यो मन्येताजितोऽस्मीति न्याये नाभिपराजितः । तमायान्तं पुनर्ज्जित्वा दण्डयेद् द्विगुणं दमं ।। २५८.

Whoever thinks, 'I am not defeated,' though not vanquished by justice; if he returns and is again defeated, he should be fined double the penalty.

राज्ञाऽन्यायेन यो दण्डा गृहीतो वरुणायतं । निवेद्य दद्याद्विप्रेभ्यः स्वयं त्रिशद्‌गुणीकृतं ।। २५८.

If someone is fined by the king unjustly, he should report it and give it to the Brahmins, himself tripling the amount.

धर्म्मश्चार्थश्च कीत्तिश्च लोकपङ्‌क्तिरुपग्रहः । प्रजाभ्यो बहुमानञ्च स्वर्गस्थानञ्च शाश्वत्म् ।। २५८.

Dharma, wealth, fame, the support of the world, respect from the people, and an eternal place in heaven.

अग्निरुवाच ऋग्यजुःसामाथर्वविधानं पुष्करोदितम् । भुक्तिभुक्तिकरं जप्याद्धोमाद्रामाय तद्वदे ।। २५९.

Agni said: The procedures of Ṛg, Yajur, Sāma, and Atharva, as taught by Puṣkara, bring enjoyment and liberation when recited, and likewise through offerings to Rāma.

पुष्कर उवाच । प्रतिवेदन्तु कर्म्माणि कार्य्याणि प्रवदामि ते । प्रथमं ऋग्विधानं वै श्रृणु त्वं भुक्तिमुक्तिदम् ।। २५९.

Puṣkara said: I will tell you the prescribed actions for each Veda; first, listen to the Ṛg procedure, which grants both enjoyment and liberation.