The institutes of Vishnu (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1880)

58

VISH2VU.

XI, 4-

holy fig-tree into the hands of the person (about to
perform the ordeal), who must turn his face towards
the east and stretch out both arms.
4. Those (leaves) and his hands he must bind
together with a thread.
5. Then he must place into his hands a ball
made of iron, red-hot, fifty Palas in weight, and
smooth.
6. Having received this, the person must proceed
through the (seven) circles, without either walking
at a very hurried pace, or lingering on his way.
7. Finally, after having passed the seventh
circle, he must put down the ball upon the
ground.
8. That man whose hands are burnt ever so
little, shall be deemed guilty; but if he remains
wholly unburnt, he is freed from the charge.
9. If he lets the ball drop from fear, or if there
exists a doubt as to whether he is burnt or not, let
him take the ball once more, because the proof has
not been decided.
10. At the beginning (of the whole ceremony)
the judge shall cause the person to rub some rice in
his hands, and shall mark (with red sap, or the like,
the already existing scars, eruptions of the skin, &c.,
which will thus have become visible). Then the
judge, after having addressed the iron ball (with the
following prayer), shall place it in his hands :
must previously examine the hands of the person about to perform
the ordeal and mark existing scars or eruptions of the skin, as
prescribed in Shtra 10.
4. The particle ka, implies, according to Nand., that he must
further place seven 6amt leaves, unbroken grains, Durva leaves,
and grain smeared with sour milk upon his hands, as ordained in
a passage of Pitamaha.