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॥ श्री ॥tantraFor reading

Mahānirvāṇa Tantra 11.92

Traditional

Ullāsas
14
Verses
2517
Minutes
1258
Level
advanced

Ullāsa 11 · Verse 92

ग्राह्याग्राह्यसाक्ष्यनिरूपणम्Which testimony is accepted

Verse 92

षट् साक्षिणः प्रमाणं स्युश्चत्वारस्त्रय एव वा । अभावे द्वावपि शिवे प्रसिद्धौ यदि धार्मिकौ ॥ ९२ ॥

ṣaṭ sākṣiṇaḥ pramāṇaṁ syuścatvārastraya ēva vā | abhāvē dvāvapi śivē prasiddhau yadi dhārmikau || 92 ||

Translation

Six, four or three witnesses are proof; failing these, even two, O Śivā, if they are well known and righteous.

Word by word

ṣaṭ
six
sākṣiṇaḥ
(sākṣiṇaḥ) witnesses
pramāṇaṁ
proof
syuḥ
are
catvāraḥ
(catvāraḥ) four
trayaḥ
(trayaḥ) three
ēva
just
vā
or
abhāvē
failing
dvau
two
api
even
śivē
O Śivā
prasiddhau
well known
yadi
if
dhārmikau
righteous

Meaning

The number and quality of witnesses.

Commentary

Hariharānanda Bhāratī’s Sanskrit commentary, translated

But how many witnesses should be authoritative? To that need he says "ṣaṭ" and the rest. Six, four or three witnesses are authoritative. O Śivā, in the absence of three, four and the rest, if there are two who are well known and righteous, even two witnesses are authoritative.