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
Sa ika-apatnapu’t anim na araw, dapat ipasamsam ng hari ang lahat ng kanyang ari-arian. Tunay, ang pinakamasamang tao na iyon, kahit alam ang (mga pangyayari), ay hindi nagbibigay ng patotoo.
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.