Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 24
Divya-pramāṇa-kathana
Explanation of Divine Proofs / Ordeals and Evidentiary Procedure
देशान्तरस्थे दुर्लेख्ये नष्टोन्मृष्टे हृते तथा भिन्ने च्छिन्ने तथा दग्धे लेख्यमन्यत्तु कारयेत्
deśāntarasthe durlekhye naṣṭonmṛṣṭe hṛte tathā bhinne cchinne tathā dagdhe lekhyamanyattu kārayet
ലിഖിത രേഖ മറ്റൊരു ദേശത്ത് സൂക്ഷിച്ചിരിക്കുകയോ, വായിക്കാൻ ദുഷ്കരമാകുകയോ, നഷ്ടപ്പെടുകയോ, മായ്ച്ചുകളയപ്പെടുകയോ, മോഷ്ടിക്കപ്പെടുകയോ, കീറപ്പെടുകയോ, മുറിക്കപ്പെടുകയോ, കത്തിക്കുകയോ ചെയ്താൽ—അതിന്റെ പകരം മറ്റൊരു രേഖ തയ്യാറാക്കിക്കൊള്ളണം.
Lord Agni (in instruction to the sage Vasiṣṭha, in the Rajadharma/Vyavahara discourse)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Document management and legal continuity: replacing damaged, illegible, lost, or inaccessible deeds to preserve rights and obligations.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Punarlikhana (Re-issuance) of Lost/Damaged Deeds","lookup_keywords":["deshantara lekhya","durlikhya","nashta unmrishta","hrita dagdha","duplicate deed"],"quick_summary":"If a deed is abroad, illegible, lost, erased, stolen, torn, cut, or burned, a fresh document should be executed. This prevents disputes caused by missing or corrupted records."}
Concept: Reliability of social order depends on preservable, replaceable records; dharma is supported by administrative procedure.
Application: Maintain copies/registries; when a deed is compromised, re-execute with proper authentication to avoid future litigation.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma / Vyavahara (Legal procedure and documentary evidence)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A scribe and officials re-drafting a deed after the original is shown as burned/torn/erased; a messenger indicates it is kept in a distant land.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, archival room with palm-leaf bundles, one manuscript charred and torn, officials commissioning a new lekhya, distant-land motif with a traveler at the doorway, earthy pigments and bold outlines.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, re-issuance ceremony of a deed, gold detailing on official attire, dramatic depiction of a burnt manuscript at the bottom, new clean document centered with auspicious symmetry.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, technical scene of document restoration: illegible text, erased lines, torn leaf, and a fresh rewritten deed; clear instructional composition with delicate shading.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, clerks in a daftar-khana rewriting a contract, damaged deed pieces on a tray, inkpots and reed pens, background showing a caravan suggesting deśāntara."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: देशान्तरस्थे = देशान्तर + स्थे; नष्टोन्मृष्टे = नष्ट + उन्मृष्टे; च्छिन्ने → छिन्ने (sandhi doubling after preceding word in recitation); लेख्यमन्यत्तु = लेख्यम् + अन्यत् + तु.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 254 (lekhya-pramāṇa and record-keeping norms)
FAQs
It gives a practical legal rule: if a deed/document becomes unavailable or unreliable (lost, erased, stolen, damaged, or burnt), a replacement document should be formally prepared.
Alongside theology and ritual, the Agni Purana also preserves governance and jurisprudence (vyavahāra), including procedures for documentary proof—showing its wide, encyclopedic scope.
By preventing disputes and fraud through proper re-documentation, the instruction supports dharma in social dealings—encouraging truthful transactions and orderly conduct.