Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 6
Divya-pramāṇa-kathana
Explanation of Divine Proofs / Ordeals and Evidentiary Procedure
राज्ञा सर्वं प्रदाप्यः स्यात् षट्चत्वारिंशके ऽह्ननि न ददाति हि यः साक्ष्यं जानन्नपि नराधमः
rājñā sarvaṃ pradāpyaḥ syāt ṣaṭcatvāriṃśake 'hnani na dadāti hi yaḥ sākṣyaṃ jānannapi narādhamaḥ
যে নরাধম সব জেনেও সাক্ষ্য দেয় না, রাজা ছেচল্লিশতম দিনে তার সর্বস্ব দণ্ড হিসেবে গ্রহণ করবেন।
Lord Agni (in discourse to Vasiṣṭha, Agni Purana’s standard narration frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"State enforcement: prescribing a concrete penalty and timeline for contempt/obstruction—confiscation for a person who knowingly refuses testimony.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Daṇḍa for Withholding Testimony (46th-day Forfeiture)","lookup_keywords":["rājā","daṇḍa","sākṣya","ṣaṭcatvāriṃśa","sarva-pradāna"],"quick_summary":"If a person knowingly refuses to testify, the king should enforce forfeiture of all property on the forty-sixth day—treating refusal as a grave obstruction of justice."}
Concept: Daṇḍa (coercive power) is a dharmic instrument to protect truth and social order; refusal to aid justice is punishable, not merely immoral.
Application: Courts should set deadlines for witness compliance and impose escalating sanctions; the state must deter obstruction to maintain public trust.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma (Dharma-shastra: legal procedure and governance)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal officer posts a legal notice marking the forty-sixth day; in court, the king orders confiscation as scribes inventory goods of a witness who refused to testify despite knowing the facts.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: king with raised hand issuing daṇḍa आदेश; attendants with palm-leaf ledger; confiscated goods (pots, coins, cattle) arranged; a calendar-like motif indicating day 46; bold traditional palette.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: king enthroned with gold halo; officials weighing coins and sealing chests; ornate pillars with gold embossing; a small scroll showing ‘46’ as a stylized numeral motif.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: procedural scene with clear documentation—scribe, seals, inventory list; officer pointing to a day-count board; restrained colors, fine detailing of administrative tools.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: administrative confiscation in a courtly setting; clerks with registers, sealed bags of coins, attendants; a marginal calendar panel indicating the forty-sixth day; intricate architectural background."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: षट्चत्वारिंशके 'ह्ननि = षट्चत्वारिंशके + अह्ननि (अकार-लोपः अवग्रहः); जानन्नपि = जानन् + अपि.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: daṇḍanīti/raja-dharma chapters on punishment schedules, fines, confiscation, and court administration
FAQs
It gives a legal rule in Rajadharma: a person who knowingly withholds witness testimony is subject to royal penalty—confiscation/forfeiture of all property, specified with a procedural time marker (the 46th day).
Beyond mythic narration, the Agni Purana preserves Dharma-shastra style governance material—court procedure, evidentiary norms, and punishments—showing its wide coverage of practical statecraft and jurisprudence.
Withholding truthful testimony is treated as a grave adharma: it harms justice and social order, attracting demerit; the king’s punishment functions as both deterrence and moral correction aligned with dharma.