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
即便只有一名证人，若为双方所同意且通晓法（dharma），亦成为有效证人。因为人若明知事实而隐匿不言，其不证之罪便成债务，恒常系缚其身，如同十重枷锁。
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.