Agni Purana — Vyavahara, Shloka 49
Divya-pramāṇa-kathana
Explanation of Divine Proofs / Ordeals and Evidentiary Procedure
व्यसनं जायते घोरं स शुद्धः स्यादसंशयम् सत्यवाहनशस्त्राणि गोवीजकनकानि च
vyasanaṃ jāyate ghoraṃ sa śuddhaḥ syādasaṃśayam satyavāhanaśastrāṇi govījakanakāni ca
Nếu một tai ương ghê gớm giáng xuống (người bị cáo buộc/người tham dự), thì phải xem người ấy là đã được tẩy sạch—không nghi ngờ. (Những vật/khổ hình dùng trong phép thử gồm) cỗ xe mang chân lý và các khí giới, cùng với bò, hạt giống và vàng.
Lord Agni (teaching sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s instructional dialogue)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Arthashastra","practical_application":"Judicial ordeal logic: if a severe calamity occurs during/after the test, the person is deemed purified; lists ordeal implements/items (vehicle, weapons, cow, seeds, gold) used as proofs.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Divya-pramāṇa: signs of purification and ordeal implements","lookup_keywords":["divya-pramāṇa","vyavahāra","śuddhi","śastra","go-bīja-kanaka"],"quick_summary":"In ordeals used for adjudication, a dreadful mishap is taken as decisive proof of purification/innocence; the text also enumerates typical ordeal media such as weapons, cow, seeds, and gold."}
Weapon Type: Weapons (śastrāṇi) as ordeal media
Concept: Epistemology of proof in vyavahāra: divine ordeal as a truth-revealing mechanism; outcome interpreted as dharmic verdict.
Application: In historical-legal study: classify ordeals and their evidentiary logic; in ritual-legal reenactment scholarship: map items to specific divya types (weapon, cow, gold, seed).
Khanda Section: Rajadharma & Vyavahara (Law, Oaths, Evidence, and Forensic Tests)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal court conducts a divine ordeal: weapons and ritual items (cow, seeds, gold) are displayed; the accused undergoes the test as judges observe.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, stylized royal hall, dharma-judges seated, accused near arranged śastra and ritual tray with bīja and kanaka, cow at side, dramatic but sacred tone","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, ornate court scene with gold embellishment on weapons and ornaments, symbolic cow and gold on a platter, emphasis on dharma authority","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, clear instructional depiction of ordeal items labeled visually: weapon rack, seed bowl, gold pieces, cow tether, judges with palm-leaf records","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed durbar with qazi-like judges, accused, attendants holding weapons, cow and trays of seeds and gold, fine textiles and architecture"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Shankarabharanam","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्यादसंशयम् → स्यात् + असंशयम्; सत्यवाहनशस्त्राणि → सत्य-वाहन-शस्त्राणि (समाहार-द्वन्द्व); गोवीजकनकानि → गो-वीज-कनकानि (समाहार-द्वन्द्व)
Related Themes: Agni Purana 254 (Divyāni pramāṇāni—ordeals as proofs)
FAQs
It states a jurisprudential rule used in satya-parīkṣā (truth-testing/ordeal): if a severe mishap occurs in the course of the procedure, the person is deemed śuddha (cleared), and it lists typical ordeal-objects such as weapons, cow, seeds, and gold.
Beyond theology, the Agni Purana preserves practical governance material—legal procedure, evidentiary customs, and purification determinations—showing how dharma literature integrates ritual concepts (śuddhi/satya) into administrative and judicial practice.
The verse links truth (satya) with purification (śuddhi): the outcome of the ordeal is treated as a dharmic indicator of innocence, framing legal clearance as both a social judgment and a religiously grounded purification.