Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 39
Divya-pramāṇa-kathana
Explanation of Divine Proofs / Ordeals and Evidentiary Procedure
त्वमेव सर्वभूतानामन्तश् चरसि पावक साक्षिवत् पुण्यपापेभ्यो ब्रूहि सत्यङ्गरे मम
tvameva sarvabhūtānāmantaś carasi pāvaka sākṣivat puṇyapāpebhyo brūhi satyaṅgare mama
Chỉ riêng Ngài, hỡi Pāvaka (Lửa), vận hành trong lòng mọi hữu tình như một chứng nhân. Về phúc và tội, xin hãy nói sự thật đến tận các chi thể của con, hỡi Agni—than hồng.
A supplicant taking a satya-śapatha (truth-oath) addressing Agni as inner witness (sākṣin)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Recite an oath-mantra before fire as inner witness, invoking Agni to testify truthfully about one’s merit and sin—used in satya-śapatha and prāyaścitta contexts.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Mantra","entry_title":"Agni as Antaryāmin-Sākṣin Mantra (Satya-Śapatha)","lookup_keywords":["pāvaka","sākṣin","satya-śapatha","antaryāmin","puṇya-pāpa"],"quick_summary":"Agni is invoked as the inner-moving witness in all beings; the reciter asks fire to declare truth regarding merit and sin, making the oath a karmic self-disclosure."}
Alamkara Type: Rupaka
Concept: Antaryāmin principle: the divine witness pervades beings; truth is not merely spoken but revealed before the cosmic witness (Agni).
Application: Practice satya and ethical restraint; use oath-taking sparingly and reverently, recognizing inner accountability beyond social surveillance.
Khanda Section: Prayashchitta & Satya-Shapatha (Oath, Witnessing Fire, and Karmic Testimony)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A person stands before a blazing ritual fire, hands in añjali, reciting to Agni as the inner witness; embers glow while the fire seems to ‘listen’ and testify.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural; large stylized flames in a homa-kuṇḍa, Agni personified subtly within the fire, devotee in profile with folded hands, heart-region highlighted symbolically, temple lamps and floral borders.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting; central fire altar with gold-embossed flames, Agni as radiant deity emerging, devotee and priest beside, ornate jewelry and halos, deep maroon background.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style; serene homa scene with clear altar geometry, soft flame gradients, devotee reciting with calm intensity, minimal but precise ritual implements shown.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature; detailed brazier with glowing embers, figures in fine garments, smoke curling upward, a faint anthropomorphic Agni in the flame, architectural pavilion setting."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"austere","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"contemplative"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: tvam+eva → tvam eva; antaḥ+carasi → antaḥ carasi; puṇya+pāpebhyaḥ → puṇya-pāpebhyaḥ (dvandva); satyaṅgare = satya+aṅgāra (karmadhāraya) in vocative singular.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 254 (satya-śapatha/prāyaścitta sequence); Agni Purana homa and agni-upāsanā passages
FAQs
It encodes the satya-śapatha procedure: invoking Agni as the internal and external witness to compel truthful declaration regarding one’s innocence or karmic status (puṇya–pāpa).
Beyond mythology, it preserves applied dharma—oath-taking, witness theology, and ritual-legal validation—showing the Agni Purana’s coverage of practical religious jurisprudence and expiatory practice.
By appealing to Agni as sākṣin who dwells within all beings, the verse frames truth as spiritually enforceable: falsehood implicates pāpa, while truth aligns with purification (pāvakatva) and dharmic merit.