Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 12
Divya-pramāṇa-kathana
Explanation of Divine Proofs / Ordeals and Evidentiary Procedure
अन्यथा वादिनो यस्य ध्रूवस्तस्य पराजयः उक्ते ऽपि साक्षिभिः साक्ष्ये यद्यन्ये गुणवत्तराः
anyathā vādino yasya dhrūvastasya parājayaḥ ukte 'pi sākṣibhiḥ sākṣye yadyanye guṇavattarāḥ
যি পক্ষ স্থিৰ সত্যৰ বিপৰীতে তৰ্ক কৰে, তাৰ পৰাজয় নিশ্চিত। সাক্ষীয়ে সাক্ষ্য দিয়া সত্ত্বেও যদি আন সাক্ষী গুণ আৰু বিশ্বাসযোগ্যতাত শ্ৰেষ্ঠ হয়, তেন্তে তেওঁলোকৰ সাক্ষ্যই প্ৰাধান্য পায়।
Lord Agni (in instruction to sage Vasiṣṭha, in the standard Agni Purāṇa dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Courtroom pleading and evaluation of witness credibility: a party who contradicts established points loses; among conflicting testimonies, the more reliable witnesses prevail.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Rule of Defeat by Contradiction; Preference for Superior Witnesses","lookup_keywords":["vyavahara","sाक्ष्य","sākṣin","prāmāṇya","parājaya"],"quick_summary":"A litigant who argues against what is already established is deemed defeated. When testimonies conflict, the court should accept the testimony of witnesses superior in reliability and merit."}
Concept: Prāmāṇya (validity) rests on consistency and the superior guṇa of witnesses; truth is protected by procedural order.
Application: In adjudication, weigh testimony by credibility (character, competence, consistency) and treat contradiction of settled points as forfeiture.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Dharmaśāstra—Judicial Procedure and Rules of Debate/Testimony)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal court where a litigant contradicts an established point; judges compare two sets of witnesses and favor the more reputable group.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, royal sabhā scene with dharmic judges seated, two groups of witnesses, palm-leaf records, restrained earth pigments, clear hand gestures indicating contradiction and weighing credibility.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, gilded royal court with ornate throne, judges holding scales of justice, two witness groups with halos of merit on the superior witnesses, rich textiles and gold work.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, instructional courtroom tableau: judge pointing to prior established statement, clerk with manuscript, witnesses in orderly rows, soft shading and fine linework.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed durbar with qazi-like judge, litigant gesturing in contradiction, attendants presenting witness lists, architectural depth, delicate borders and calligraphy cartouche."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"didactic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ukte 'pi = ukte + api; yadyanye = yadi + anye.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 254 (Vyavahara: witnesses, documents, penalties)
FAQs
It teaches vyavahāra-vidyā (judicial method): a disputant who argues against what is established loses, and courts should prefer testimony from more qualified/credible witnesses when testimonies conflict.
Beyond ritual and theology, the Agni Purāṇa also preserves practical governance and legal norms—here, courtroom reasoning and rules for weighing witness credibility—showing its wide, encyclopedic scope.
It promotes satya (truthfulness) and dharma in dispute-resolution: insisting on truthful argument and credible evidence reduces injustice, aligning conduct with righteous order and improving one’s karmic standing.