Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 32
Divya-pramāṇa-kathana
Explanation of Divine Proofs / Ordeals and Evidentiary Procedure
सचेलस्नातमाहूय सूर्योदय उपोषितम् कारयेत्दर्वदिव्यानि नृपब्राह्मणसन्निधौ
sacelasnātamāhūya sūryodaya upoṣitam kārayetdarvadivyāni nṛpabrāhmaṇasannidhau
بعد استدعاء ذلك الشخص—وقد اغتسل وهو لابس ثيابه وصائم عند شروق الشمس—يُجرى له امتحان الدَّربها، بحضور الملك والبراهمة.
Lord Agni (in instruction to Vasiṣṭha, within the Agni Purana’s didactic narration)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Court-supervised divya (ordeal) procedure: preparing the accused with ritual purity (sachelā-snāna), fasting, and timing at sunrise; ensuring royal and brāhmaṇa oversight to legitimize the test.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Darbha-divya: preliminaries (sunrise fast, clothed bath, assembly)","lookup_keywords":["darbha-divya","sachelā-snāna","upavāsa","sūryodaya","nṛpa-brāhmaṇa-sannidhi"],"quick_summary":"Before administering the darbha-ordeal, the accused is ritually prepared by a clothed bath and fasting at sunrise, and the rite is conducted under the joint witness of king and Brahmins."}
Concept: Truth is to be ascertained through ritually constrained, socially witnessed procedure; purity, timing, and authority are integral to juridical legitimacy.
Application: Designing a formal oath/ordeal protocol emphasizing transparency (witnesses), liminality (sunrise), and self-restraint (fasting).
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Vyavahara (Judicial procedure and ordeals)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At sunrise in a royal court, the accused—still clothed after a ritual bath—stands fasting before darbha implements, with the king seated and Brahmins observing the ordeal preparations.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat yet vivid colors, sunrise glow behind a pillared sabhā, king on a low throne, Brahmins with yajñopavīta, accused in wet garments holding folded hands, darbha grass bundles and ritual vessels in foreground, solemn dharma-ritual atmosphere","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gold-leaf highlights on the king’s throne and court ornaments, central accused figure with wet cloth sheen, Brahmins in white with gold borders, darbha grass rendered with fine green strokes, sunrise disc as a gilded halo-like element, symmetrical court composition","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, delicate linework and soft shading, instructional clarity: labeled-looking ritual items (darbha bundles, water pot), accused fasting at sunrise, king and Brahmins as witnesses, calm but tense courtroom-ritual setting","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed court interior with carpets and pillars, naturalistic faces, sunrise light entering from an arch, accused in damp clothing, Brahmins and king observing, darbha grass and ritual paraphernalia meticulously detailed"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सचेलस्नातम् = स + चेल + स्नातम्; माऽहूय = म् + आहूय; सूर्योदय = सूर्य-उदये (सप्तमी); कारयेत्दर्वदिव्यानि = कारयेत् + दर्वदिव्यानि; नृपब्राह्मणसन्निधौ = नृप-ब्राह्मण-सन्निधौ.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 254.33-36 (types of ordeals; tulā-rite; oath to the balance; moral surveillance verse)
FAQs
It prescribes the procedural prerequisites for administering the darbha-based ordeal: ritual bathing (even with clothes), fasting, timing at sunrise, and performance under authorized supervision (king and Brahmins).
Beyond mythology, it preserves practical governance and legal-ritual protocols—showing the Purana’s coverage of rajadharma and adjudication methods alongside religious observances.
Fasting, sunrise timing, and purification frame the ordeal as a dharmic act under sacred oversight, aiming to reduce partiality and align judgment with ritual purity and truth.