Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 5
Divya-pramāṇa-kathana
Explanation of Divine Proofs / Ordeals and Evidentiary Procedure
उभयानुमतः साक्षी भवत्येकोपि धर्मवित् अब्रुवन् हि नरः साक्ष्यमृणं सदशबन्धकम्
ubhayānumataḥ sākṣī bhavatyekopi dharmavit abruvan hi naraḥ sākṣyamṛṇaṃ sadaśabandhakam
Mesmo uma única testemunha, aceita por ambas as partes e conhecedora do dharma/da lei, torna-se testemunha válida. Pois o homem que retém o testemunho—embora saiba—faz com que (a culpa) desse testemunho se torne uma dívida, que o prende para sempre como com dez grilhões.
Lord Agni (instructing Vasiṣṭha on legal-dharma and court procedure)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Philosophy","practical_application":"Legal ethics: validating even a single mutually accepted dharma-knowing witness; imposing moral culpability on withholding testimony, framing it as binding debt/sin.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Eka-sākṣin Prāmāṇya and Sākṣya-tyāga Doṣa (Validity of One Witness; Fault of Withholding Testimony)","lookup_keywords":["eka-sākṣin","ubhayānumata","dharmavit","sākṣya-tyāga","ṛṇa","daśa-bandhaka"],"quick_summary":"One competent witness accepted by both parties can suffice. Suppressing known testimony incurs a binding moral ‘debt’—a continuing liability likened to ten fetters."}
Alamkara Type: Rūpaka (metaphor: sin as debt; bondage as fetters)
Concept: Satya in social life is a binding duty; omission (not speaking truth when required) is treated as active adharma with lasting karmic liability.
Application: If you are a competent witness and both parties accept you, testify fully; avoid silence born of fear/favor, as it creates enduring culpability.
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Dharma-shastra: legal procedure, witnesses, evidence)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In court, a single learned witness stands between two litigants who both gesture assent; behind him, a symbolic depiction of ‘ten fetters’ (chains) hovering as a moral warning against silence.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: central witness with palm-leaf text, two litigants with folded hands indicating consent; stylized chain motifs (ten links) in the border as moral symbolism; lamp-lit sabhā, bold colors.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: gold-embossed court scene; single witness with halo-like aureole of dharma, two parties in symmetrical pose; decorative gold chain motif with ten links near the bottom margin.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: elegant didactic painting; focus on the lone witness and the written deposition; subtle symbolic chains in background; fine linework, muted tones, instructional clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: intimate courtroom with one witness at center, two parties nodding; marginal illustration of chains and a ledger (debt) to symbolize ṛṇa; intricate textiles and architecture."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: भवत्येकोपि = भवति + एकः + अपि; साक्ष्यमृणं = साक्ष्यम् + ऋणम्; सदशबन्धकम् = स + दश + बन्धकम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana: truthfulness (satya) and sin/merit discussions; daṇḍa for obstruction of justice
FAQs
It gives a rule of judicial procedure: even one dharma-knowing witness is sufficient if both litigating parties accept him, and it warns that suppressing truthful testimony creates a binding moral ‘debt’.
Beyond mythology, the text codifies practical governance—here, courtroom standards for witnesses and the ethical-legal consequences of refusing to testify—showing its dharma-shastra and statecraft coverage.
Truthful testimony is treated as a dharmic duty; withholding it accrues karmic liability likened to an ever-binding debt, implying prolonged bondage and demerit until rectified.