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Mahānirvāṇa Tantra 11.97

Traditional

Ullāsas
14
Verses
2517
Minutes
1258
Level
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Ullāsa 11 · Verse 97

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Verse 97

अभ्रमस्याऽप्रमत्तस्य यदङ्गीकरणं सकृत् । स्वीयार्थे तत्प्रमाणं स्याद्वचसो वहुसाक्षिणाम् ॥ ९७ ॥

abhramasyā’pramattasya yadaṅgīkaraṇaṁ sakṛt | svīyārthē tatpramāṇaṁ syādvacasō vahusākṣiṇām || 97 ||

Translation

What a man free of error and inattention admits even once, in his own matter, is proof stronger than the words of many witnesses.

Word by word

abhramasya
free of error
apramattasya
not inattentive
yat
(yat) what
aṅgīkaraṇaṁ
admits
sakṛt
once
svīya
his own
arthē
in the matter
tat
that
pramāṇaṁ
proof
syāt
is
vacasaḥ
(vacasaḥ) than the words
vahusākṣiṇām
(bahusākṣiṇām) of many witnesses

Meaning

Confession outweighs testimony.

Commentary

Hariharānanda Bhāratī’s Sanskrit commentary, translated

To show that a person's own admission, made once, free of error and inattention, is more excellent evidence than the words of many witnesses, he says "abhramasya" and the rest. What a man free of error, not inattentive, careful, admits even once, that, in a matter concerning himself, is greater evidence than the speech of many witnesses.