Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 15
Divya-pramāṇa-kathana
Explanation of Divine Proofs / Ordeals and Evidentiary Procedure
स दाप्यो ऽष्टगुणम् दण्डं ब्राह्मणन्तु विवासयेत् वर्णिनां हि बधो यत्र तत्र साक्ष्यअनृतं वदेत्
sa dāpyo 'ṣṭaguṇam daṇḍaṃ brāhmaṇantu vivāsayet varṇināṃ hi badho yatra tatra sākṣyaanṛtaṃ vadet
Debe hacérsele pagar una pena ocho veces mayor; pero a un Brāhmaṇa, en cambio, se le debe desterrar. Pues allí donde se produciría la ejecución de miembros de las (tres) varṇas (como consecuencia), allí debe decirse una falsedad como testimonio.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Vasiṣṭha, in the Agni Purana’s dharma/nyāya instruction sections)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Aggravated penalty (eightfold) for certain false-testimony contexts; brāhmaṇa punished by banishment; exceptional rule permitting untruth to prevent wrongful execution of varṇa-members—triage to avert irreversible harm.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Eightfold Penalty and the Exceptional Permission to Speak Untruth to Prevent Execution","lookup_keywords":["aṣṭaguṇa-daṇḍa","brāhmaṇa-vivāsa","sākṣyānṛta","badhābhaya","apavāda"],"quick_summary":"False testimony can incur an eightfold penalty, with banishment for brāhmaṇas. An exceptional allowance is stated: if truthful testimony would directly cause execution of protected persons, untruth may be spoken to avert that irreversible outcome."}
Concept: Apavāda (exception) within satya-dharma: preventing irreversible injustice (execution) can override strict truth-telling in testimony; punishment remains severe to deter abuse.
Application: In hard cases, prioritize preventing wrongful death; treat such exceptions as narrowly construed and subject to scrutiny to avoid misuse.
Khanda Section: Rājadharma & Vyavahāra (Dharmaśāstra / Legal Procedure and Punishment)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A judge declares an eightfold fine; a brāhmaṇa is exiled instead of corporal punishment; a witness faces a moral dilemma where truthful testimony would lead to execution, shown as a shadow of the gallows behind the court.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, dramatic sabhā with judge, stacks of coins indicating eightfold fine, brāhmaṇa escorted to exile, faint silhouette of execution stake in background to show the dilemma, strong lines and earthy tones.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold, judge holding decree, eight coin heaps arranged symmetrically, brāhmaṇa figure departing, symbolic protective gesture over an accused to prevent execution, ornate pillars.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, ethical-instruction scene: two paths labeled truth leading to execution vs exception preventing death, judge and scribe central, soft colors and clear diagrammatic composition.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, court with fine detail, executioner waiting outside the hall, witness hesitating, judge imposing heavy fine, exile procession, delicate border and calligraphy panel."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"grave","suggested_raga":"Bhairav","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: dāpyo 'ṣṭaguṇam = dāpyaḥ + aṣṭaguṇam; brāhmaṇantu = brāhmaṇam + tu; sākṣyaanṛtam = sākṣya + anṛtam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 254 (witness ethics; penalties; status-based sanctions)
FAQs
It gives legal-technical guidance on daṇḍa (penalty): an eightfold fine in a specified case, banishment for a Brāhmaṇa, and an exceptional rule allowing false testimony when truthful testimony would directly cause execution of varṇa-holders.
Beyond ritual and theology, the Agni Purana preserves dharmaśāstra-style material on courts, evidence, and sentencing—showing its coverage of governance (rājadharma) and practical jurisprudence.
It frames a hierarchy of harms: preventing wrongful or socially catastrophic killing is treated as overriding the ordinary duty of truth-speaking, implying a dharma calculus where minimizing grievous violence can supersede strict veracity.