The minor law books: The minor law books (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1889)

128

NARADA.

IV, 1.

FOURTH TITLE OF LAW.
Resumption of Gift.
*1. Where a man wishes to resume what he has
given, because it has been unduly given by him, it
is called Resumption of Gift, a title of law.
* 2. What may be given and what not, valid gifts
and invalid gifts ; thus the law of gift is declared
fourfold in judicial affairs.
* 3. Again, what may not be given is eightfold ;
what may be given is of one kind only; of valid
gifts there are seven species ; and sixteen sorts of
invalid gifts.
* 4. An Anvahita deposit, a Ya^ita, a pledge, joint
property, a deposit, a son, a wife, the whole property
of one who has offspring,
* 5. And what has been promised to another
man ; these have been declared by the spiritual guides
to be inalienable by one in the worst plight even.
6. What is left (of the property) after the ex-
pense of maintaining the family has been defrayed,
IV, 1. ‘Unduly’ means in a mode opposed to law. Mitakshara,
Viramitrodaya, Mayukha, &c. Manu VIII, 214.
2. ‘ Valid gifts,’ literally ‘ what is given.’ ‘ Invalid gifts,’ literally
‘ what is not given.’
4. For the meaning of the technical terms, Anvahita and YaZ’ita,
see II, 14. The prohibition of such gifts as would leave the family
destitute appears to relate principally to charitable donations and
religious endowments.
4-6. Yagnavalkya II, 175.
6. That only may be given which is left after the cost of living
has been defrayed for those whom the head of the family is bound
to support. Any gift, on the other hand, which causes hardship to
the family, is reprehensible, and not meritorious. A.