Agni Purana — Chapter 255
AgP 255.1
:ए इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे दिव्यानि प्रमाणानि नाम चतुःपञ्चाशदधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः ॥ छप्तेर् {२५५} :श् अथ पञ्चपञ्चाशदधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः दायविभागकथनम् अग्निर् उवाच विभागञ्चेत् पिता कुर्यादिच्छया विभजेत् सुतान् ज्येष्ठं वा श्रेष्ठभागेन सर्वे वा स्युः समांशिनः
:e ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe divyāni pramāṇāni nāma catuḥpañcāśadadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ || chapter {255} :ś atha pañcapañcāśadadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ dāyavibhāgakathanam agnir uvāca vibhāgañcet pitā kuryādicchayā vibhajet sutān jyeṣṭhaṃ vā śreṣṭhabhāgena sarve vā syuḥ samāṃśinaḥ
Thus in the Āgneya Mahāpurāṇa, the two hundred fifty-fourth chapter, called 'The Ordeals as Means of Proof'. Chapter 255: the two hundred fifty-fifth chapter, the account of the partition of inheritance. Agni said: If the father makes a partition, he may divide the sons as he wishes: either (giving) the eldest a superior share, or all may be equal sharers.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.2
यदि दद्यात् समानंशान् कार्याः पत्न्यः समांशिकाः न दत्तं स्त्रीधनं यासां भर्त्रा वा श्वशुरेन वा
yadi dadyāt samānaṃśān kāryāḥ patnyaḥ samāṃśikāḥ na dattaṃ strīdhanaṃ yāsāṃ bhartrā vā śvaśurena vā
If he gives equal shares, the wives are to be made equal sharers — those to whom no woman's property (strīdhana) has been given by the husband or by the father-in-law.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.3
शक्तस्थानीहमानस्य किञ्चिद्दत्वा पृथक् क्रिया न्यूनाधिकविभक्तानां धर्म्यश् च पितृना कृतः
śaktasthānīhamānasya kiñciddatvā pṛthak kriyā nyūnādhikavibhaktānāṃ dharmyaś ca pitṛnā kṛtaḥ
(?) Of one who, though able, remains in (his) place striving, separation is effected by giving (him) something. And what has been made by the father for those apportioned lesser or greater shares is lawful.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
AgP 255.4
विभजेयुः सुताः पित्रोरूर्ध्वमृक्थमृणं समम् मातुर्दुहितरः शेषमृणात्ताभ्य ऋते ऽन्नयः
vibhajeyuḥ sutāḥ pitrorūrdhvamṛkthamṛṇaṃ samam māturduhitaraḥ śeṣamṛṇāttābhya ṛte 'nnayaḥ
After (the death of) the parents the sons should divide the estate and the debt equally; the daughters (take) the mother's (property), the remainder after the debt, apart from... (?)
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
AgP 255.5
पितृद्रव्याविनाशेन यदन्यत् स्वयमर्जयेत् मैत्रमौद्वाहिकञ्चैव दायादानान्न तद्भवेत्
pitṛdravyāvināśena yadanyat svayamarjayet maitramaudvāhikañcaiva dāyādānānna tadbhavet
Whatever else a man earns himself without diminishing the father's property, and what is (obtained) from friendship or at marriage — that does not become subject to partition among the heirs.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.6
सामान्यार्थसमुत्थाने विभागस्तु समः स्मृतः :प् ४२१ अनेकपितृकाणान्तु पितृतो भागकल्पना
sāmānyārthasamutthāne vibhāgastu samaḥ smṛtaḥ :p 421 anekapitṛkāṇāntu pitṛto bhāgakalpanā
When (property) has arisen from a common fund, the partition is held to be equal; but for those having several fathers, the assigning of shares is according to the fathers.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.7
भूर्यापिता महोपात्ता निबन्धो द्रव्यमेव वा तत्र स्यात् सदृशं स्वाम्यं पितुः पुत्रस्य चोभयोः
bhūryāpitā mahopāttā nibandho dravyameva vā tatra syāt sadṛśaṃ svāmyaṃ pituḥ putrasya cobhayoḥ
Land acquired by the grandfather, or an endowment, or movable property — in that the ownership of the father and of the son, of both, is equal.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
AgP 255.8
विभक्तेषु सुतो जातः सवर्णायां विभागभाक् दृश्याद्वा तद्विभागः स्यादायव्ययविशोधितात्
vibhakteṣu suto jātaḥ savarṇāyāṃ vibhāgabhāk dṛśyādvā tadvibhāgaḥ syādāyavyayaviśodhitāt
A son born to a wife of the same class after (the brothers) have divided is entitled to a share; or his share may be (taken) from the visible property, once income and expenditure have been deducted.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.9
क्रमादभ्यागतं द्रव्यं हृतमभ्युद्धरेच्च यः दायादेभ्यो न तद्दद्याद्विद्यया लब्धमेव च
kramādabhyāgataṃ dravyaṃ hṛtamabhyuddharecca yaḥ dāyādebhyo na taddadyādvidyayā labdhameva ca
Property that has come down by succession, and one who recovers what had been carried off — he need not give that to the co-heirs, nor what has been gained by learning.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.10
पितृभ्यां यस्य यद्दत्तं तत्तस्यैव धनं भवेत् पितुरूर्ध्वं विभजतां माताप्यंशं समं हरेत्
pitṛbhyāṃ yasya yaddattaṃ tattasyaiva dhanaṃ bhavet piturūrdhvaṃ vibhajatāṃ mātāpyaṃśaṃ samaṃ haret
Whatever has been given to anyone by the parents, that becomes his own property alone. When (the sons) divide after the father's death, the mother too takes an equal share.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.11
असंस्कृतास्तु संस्कार्या भ्रातृभिः पूर्वसंस्कृतैः भागिन्यश् च निजादंशाद्दत्वांशन्तु तुरीयकं
asaṃskṛtāstu saṃskāryā bhrātṛbhiḥ pūrvasaṃskṛtaiḥ bhāginyaś ca nijādaṃśāddatvāṃśantu turīyakaṃ
Those not yet consecrated are to have their sacraments performed by the brothers who were consecrated earlier; and the sisters (are to be provided for) by giving a fourth part out of one's own share.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.12
चतुःस्त्रिद्व्येकभागाः स्युर्वर्णशो ब्राह्मणात्मजाः क्षत्रजास्त्रिद्व्येकभागा विड्जास्तु द्व्येकभागिनः
catuḥstridvyekabhāgāḥ syurvarṇaśo brāhmaṇātmajāḥ kṣatrajāstridvyekabhāgā viḍjāstu dvyekabhāginaḥ
The sons of a brahmin, according to (their mothers') class, receive four, three, two and one share; those born of a kṣatriya, three, two and one share; those born of a vaiśya, two and one share.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.13
अन्योन्यापहृतं द्रव्यं विभक्ते यत्तु दृश्यते तत् पुनस्ते समैर् अंशैर् विभजेरन्निति स्थितिः
anyonyāpahṛtaṃ dravyaṃ vibhakte yattu dṛśyate tat punaste samair aṃśair vibhajeranniti sthitiḥ
Property that has been withheld from one another and comes to light after the partition — that they should divide again in equal shares: such is the rule.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.14
अपुत्रेण परक्षेत्रे नियोगोत्पादितः सुतः उभयोरप्यसावृक्थी पिण्डदाता च धर्मतः
aputreṇa parakṣetre niyogotpāditaḥ sutaḥ ubhayorapyasāvṛkthī piṇḍadātā ca dharmataḥ
A son begotten by appointment upon another's wife by a man without a son: he is heir to both and, by law, the giver of the funeral offering to both.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.15
औरसो धर्मपत्नीजस्तत्समः पुत्रिकासुतः क्षेत्रजः क्षेत्रजातस्तु सगोत्रेणेतरेण वा
auraso dharmapatnījastatsamaḥ putrikāsutaḥ kṣetrajaḥ kṣetrajātastu sagotreṇetareṇa vā
The aurasa is the son born of a lawful wife; equal to him is the son of an appointed daughter; the kṣetraja is one begotten upon the wife (of another) by a kinsman of the same gotra or by another.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.16
गृहे प्रच्छन्न उत्पन्नो गूढजस्तु सुतः स्मृतः कानीनः कन्यकाजातो मातामहसुतो मतः
gṛhe pracchanna utpanno gūḍhajastu sutaḥ smṛtaḥ kānīnaḥ kanyakājāto mātāmahasuto mataḥ
One born secretly in the house is called the gūḍhaja son; the kānīna is one born of an unmarried girl, and is held to be the son of the maternal grandfather.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.17
क्षतायामक्षतायां वा जातः पौनर्भवः सुतः दद्यान्माता पिता वा यं स पुत्री दत्तको भवेत्
kṣatāyāmakṣatāyāṃ vā jātaḥ paunarbhavaḥ sutaḥ dadyānmātā pitā vā yaṃ sa putrī dattako bhavet
A son born of a woman whether deflowered or not deflowered (by a previous husband) is called paunarbhava (son of a remarried woman); and he whom the mother or the father gives away becomes the dattaka (given son).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.18
:प् ४२२ क्रीतश् च ताभ्यां विक्रीतः कृत्रिमः स्यात् स्व्यं कृतः दत्तात्मा तु स्वयं दत्तो गर्भे वित्तः सहोढजः
:p 422 krītaś ca tābhyāṃ vikrītaḥ kṛtrimaḥ syāt svyaṃ kṛtaḥ dattātmā tu svayaṃ datto garbhe vittaḥ sahoḍhajaḥ
And one sold by those two (parents) and bought (by another) is the krīta (purchased son); the kṛtrima (artificial son) is one made (a son) of his own accord; the dattātmā is one who has given himself; the sahoḍhaja is one already obtained in the womb.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.19
उत्सृष्टो गृह्यते यस्तु सोपविद्धो भवेत् सुतः पिण्डदो ऽंशहरश् चैषां पूर्वाभावे परः परः
utsṛṣṭo gṛhyate yastu sopaviddho bhavet sutaḥ piṇḍado 'ṃśaharaś caiṣāṃ pūrvābhāve paraḥ paraḥ
He who, having been cast off, is taken up becomes the apaviddha son. Among these, the one who offers the funeral rice-ball is the taker of the share; in the absence of the preceding one, each successive one (takes it).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.20
सजातीयेष्वयं प्रोक्तस्तनयेषु मया विधिः जातो ऽपि दास्यां शूद्रस्य कामतो ऽंशहरो भवेत्
sajātīyeṣvayaṃ proktastanayeṣu mayā vidhiḥ jāto 'pi dāsyāṃ śūdrasya kāmato 'ṃśaharo bhavet
This rule has been declared by me with regard to sons (born) of women of the same class; but even a son born to a śūdra by a female slave may take a share, at (the father's) pleasure.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.21
मृते पितरि कुर्युस्तं भ्रातरस्त्वर्धभागिकं अभ्रातृको हरेत् सर्वं दुहितॄणां सुतादृते
mṛte pitari kuryustaṃ bhrātarastvardhabhāgikaṃ abhrātṛko haret sarvaṃ duhitṝṇāṃ sutādṛte
When the father is dead, the brothers should make him a taker of half a share; one who has no brothers takes the whole, apart from the daughters' son.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.22
पत्नी दुहितरश् चैव पितरो भ्रातरस् तथा तत्सुतो गोत्रजो बन्धुः शिष्यः सब्रह्मचारिणः
patnī duhitaraś caiva pitaro bhrātaras tathā tatsuto gotrajo bandhuḥ śiṣyaḥ sabrahmacāriṇaḥ
The wife, and the daughters, then the parents, the brothers, then their son, one of the same gotra, a kinsman, a pupil, fellow-students —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.23
एषामभावे पूवस्य धनभागुत्तरोत्तरः स्वर्यात्स्य ह्य् अपुत्रस्य सर्ववर्णेष्वयं विधिः
eṣāmabhāve pūvasya dhanabhāguttarottaraḥ svaryātsya hy aputrasya sarvavarṇeṣvayaṃ vidhiḥ
— in the absence of these, on the absence of the earlier the later and later one is the taker of the wealth; this is the rule among all classes for one who has departed to heaven without a son.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.24
वानप्रस्थयतिब्रह्मचारिणामृक्थभागिनः क्रमेणाचार्यसच्छिष्यधर्मभ्रात्रेकतीर्थिनः
vānaprasthayatibrahmacāriṇāmṛkthabhāginaḥ krameṇācāryasacchiṣyadharmabhrātrekatīrthinaḥ
Of a forest-dweller, an ascetic and a student, the takers of the estate are, in order, the teacher, the good pupil, the brother in dharma, and the fellow of the same āśrama.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.25
संसृष्टिनस्तु संसृष्टी सोदरस्य तु सोदरः दद्याच्चापहेरेच्चांशं जातस्य च मृतस्य च
saṃsṛṣṭinastu saṃsṛṣṭī sodarasya tu sodaraḥ dadyāccāpahereccāṃśaṃ jātasya ca mṛtasya ca
A reunited coparcener (takes the share) of a reunited one, and a full brother that of a full brother; and he should give and take the share of one who is born and of one who has died.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.26
अन्योदर्यस्तु संसृष्टी नान्योदर्यधनं हरेत् असंसृष्त्यपि चादद्यात्सोदर्यो नान्यमानृजः
anyodaryastu saṃsṛṣṭī nānyodaryadhanaṃ haret asaṃsṛṣtyapi cādadyātsodaryo nānyamānṛjaḥ
But a reunited brother born of another mother shall not take the wealth of one born of another mother; and a full brother, even if not reunited, may take it, but not one born of another mother.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
AgP 255.27
पतितस्तत्सुतः क्लीवः पङ्गुरुन्मत्तको जडः अन्धो ऽचिकित्स्यरोगाद्या भर्तव्यास्तु निरंशकाः
patitastatsutaḥ klīvaḥ paṅgurunmattako jaḍaḥ andho 'cikitsyarogādyā bhartavyāstu niraṃśakāḥ
An outcast and his son, a eunuch, a lame man, a madman, an idiot, a blind man, and those with incurable disease and the like are to be maintained, but without a share.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.28
औरसाः क्षेत्रजास्त्वेषां निर्दोषा भागहारिणः सुताश् चैषां प्रभर्तव्या यावद्वै भर्तृसात्कृताः
aurasāḥ kṣetrajāstveṣāṃ nirdoṣā bhāgahāriṇaḥ sutāś caiṣāṃ prabhartavyā yāvadvai bhartṛsātkṛtāḥ
But their sons, whether begotten of the body or begotten on the wife (by another), if free from defect, do take shares; and their daughters are to be maintained until they are made over to husbands.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
AgP 255.29
अपुत्रा योषितश् चैषां भर्तव्याः साधुवृत्तयः :प् ४२३ निर्वास्या व्यभिचारिण्यः प्रतिकूलास्तथैव च
aputrā yoṣitaś caiṣāṃ bhartavyāḥ sādhuvṛttayaḥ :p 423 nirvāsyā vyabhicāriṇyaḥ pratikūlāstathaiva ca
And their sonless wives, if of good conduct, are to be maintained; but those who are unfaithful, and likewise those who are hostile, are to be turned out.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.30
पितृमातृपतिभ्रातृदत्तमध्यग्न्युपागतं आधिवेदनिकुञ्चैव स्त्रीधनं परिकीर्तितं
pitṛmātṛpatibhrātṛdattamadhyagnyupāgataṃ ādhivedanikuñcaiva strīdhanaṃ parikīrtitaṃ
What is given by father, mother, husband or brother, what has been received before the (nuptial) fire, and the gift on a supersession — that is declared to be a woman's property.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.31
बन्धुदत्तं तथा शुल्कमन्वाधेयकमेव च अप्रजायामतीतायां बान्धवास्तदवाप्नुयुः
bandhudattaṃ tathā śulkamanvādheyakameva ca aprajāyāmatītāyāṃ bāndhavāstadavāpnuyuḥ
Likewise what is given by kinsmen, the bride-price, and the anvādheyaka (later gift); when she dies without offspring, her kinsmen obtain it.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.32
अप्रजास्त्रीधनं भ्रत्तुर्ब्राह्म्यादिषु चतुर्ष्वपि दुहितृणां प्रसूता चेच्छ्रेषे तु पितृगामि तत्
aprajāstrīdhanaṃ bhratturbrāhmyādiṣu caturṣvapi duhitṛṇāṃ prasūtā cecchreṣe tu pitṛgāmi tat
The property of a sonless woman goes to the husband in the four (forms of marriage) beginning with the brāhma; if she has borne (children), it goes to the daughters; but in the remaining (forms) it goes to the father.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
AgP 255.33
दत्वा कन्यां हरन् दण्ड्यो व्ययं दद्याच्च सोदयम् मृतायां दत्तमादद्यात् परिशोध्योभयव्ययम्
datvā kanyāṃ haran daṇḍyo vyayaṃ dadyācca sodayam mṛtāyāṃ dattamādadyāt pariśodhyobhayavyayam
One who, having given a maiden (in marriage), takes her back is to be fined, and must pay the expense together with interest; if she has died, he may take back what was given, after the expenses of both sides have been cleared.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.34
दुर्भिक्षे धर्मकार्ये च व्याधौ संप्रतिरोधके गृहीतं स्त्रीधनं भर्ता न स्त्रिये दातुमर्हति
durbhikṣe dharmakārye ca vyādhau saṃpratirodhake gṛhītaṃ strīdhanaṃ bhartā na striye dātumarhati
A woman's property taken (by the husband) in a famine, for a religious duty, in illness, or when he is hemmed in (by trouble), the husband is not obliged to return to the woman.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.35
अधिवित्तस्त्रियै दद्यादधिवेदनिकं समम् न दत्तं स्रीधनं यस्यै दत्ते त्वर्धं प्रकीर्तितम्
adhivittastriyai dadyādadhivedanikaṃ samam na dattaṃ srīdhanaṃ yasyai datte tvardhaṃ prakīrtitam
To a superseded wife he should give an equal supersession-gift, (namely) to her to whom no woman's property had been given; but to her to whom it had been given, half is prescribed.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
AgP 255.36
विभागनिह्नवे ज्ञातिबन्धुसाक्ष्यभिलेखितैः विभागभावना ज्ञेया गृहक्षेत्रैश् च यौतिकैः
vibhāganihnave jñātibandhusākṣyabhilekhitaiḥ vibhāgabhāvanā jñeyā gṛhakṣetraiś ca yautikaiḥ
When a partition is denied, the establishing of the partition is to be known from kinsmen, relatives, witnesses and written documents, and from houses and fields (held separately) and from separate acquisitions.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition