Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 2
Divya-pramāṇa-kathana
Explanation of Divine Proofs / Ordeals and Evidentiary Procedure
पञ्चयज्ञक्रियायुक्ताः साक्षिणः पञ्च वा त्रयः यथाजाति यथावर्ण सर्वे सर्वेषु वा स्मृताः
pañcayajñakriyāyuktāḥ sākṣiṇaḥ pañca vā trayaḥ yathājāti yathāvarṇa sarve sarveṣu vā smṛtāḥ
गवाह वे होने चाहिए जो पांच यज्ञ करते हों, संख्या में पांच या तीन हों। वे जाति और वर्ण के अनुसार होने चाहिए, या सभी वर्णों के लोग सभी के लिए गवाह हो सकते हैं।
Lord Agni (in discourse to Vasiṣṭha, within the Agni Purana’s dharma-legal instruction)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Court procedure: selecting competent witnesses (sākṣin) for adjudication, emphasizing ritual-ethical reliability and social familiarity while allowing broader admissibility when appropriate.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Sākṣin-saṅkhyā and Adhikāra (Number and Eligibility of Witnesses)","lookup_keywords":["sākṣin","pañcayajña","vyavahāra","jāti-varṇa","pramāṇa"],"quick_summary":"Prefer witnesses who maintain pañcayajña duties; take three or five witnesses. Ordinarily match witnesses to the litigant’s jāti/varṇa, yet qualified persons from any group may be accepted across matters."}
Concept: Social trust in adjudication rests on dhārmika conduct (pañcayajña) and community knowledge, balanced with universal admissibility when justice requires.
Application: In disputes, prioritize credible, duty-bound witnesses; where such matching is impractical, accept competent witnesses irrespective of group to prevent miscarriage of justice.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Dharma-shastra: legal procedure and witnesses)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal court (sabhā) where the judge/king appoints three or five witnesses—brahmins and householders marked by pañcayajña observances—standing before litigants; scribes record testimony.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat yet vivid colors; a sabhā scene with the king on a low throne, oil lamps, palm-leaf manuscripts, three to five witnesses with sacred thread and water-pot, litigants on either side; ornate borders, traditional facial profiles.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold leaf: king in jeweled crown seated in court, haloed; witnesses (3 or 5) holding kusa grass and water-pot symbolizing ritual duty; rich textiles, embossed gold ornaments, symmetrical composition.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: refined linework, soft palette; instructional court tableau with labeled groups (jāti/varṇa) and a panel showing ‘3 or 5’ witnesses; scribe with stylus and manuscript; calm didactic mood.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: detailed durbar interior, patterned carpets, attendants; three to five witnesses presented to the qazi-like judge/king; fine architectural perspective, delicate faces, marginal floral motifs."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: यथाजाति = यथा + जाति; यथावर्ण = यथा + वर्णम् (पदान्ते -म् लोपः छन्दसि/पाठभेदः).
Related Themes: Agni Purana: Rajadharma/Vyavahāra sections on sabhā, pramāṇa, lekhyapramāṇa, divya (ordeals)
FAQs
It specifies legal-ritual qualifications for witnesses: testimony should be given by persons established in pañca-yajña observance, and courts may require three or five witnesses.
Beyond theology, the text codifies practical governance and jurisprudence—how evidence is constituted, how many witnesses are needed, and who is considered competent—showing its coverage of vyavahāra (legal procedure) alongside ritual norms.
By preferring witnesses grounded in daily sacrificial duties, the verse links truthful testimony to ritual purity and ethical discipline, implying that dharma-based conduct supports reliable speech and reduces adharmic outcomes in judgment.