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

VI, T4-

ORDEALS.

249

women, nor is (the ordeal by) water fit to be admin-
istered to them; it is through (the ordeals by)
balance, sacred libation, and others that (the judge)
must explore the true state of their minds.
10. Let (the judge) test strong men by fire, water,
or poison, and let him test infants, old or distressed
men by the balance.
11. Let (the judge) avoid (the ordeal by) fire in
the case of lepers, (the ordeal by) water in the case
of the asthmatic, and (the ordeal by) poison in the
case of bilious or phlegmatic persons.
12. In the season of the rains, let the (ordeal by)
fire be administered; also in the cold and chilly
seasons. In the summer season, the (ordeal by)
water is the proper (kind of ordeal). Poison (is
destined) for the cold weather.
13. The chilly, cold, and rainy seasons are declared
to be (the proper seasons) for the (ordeal by) fire ;
the autumn and summer seasons, for the (ordeal by)
water; the (ordeal by) poison, (is fit) for the cold and
chilly seasons.
14. The months of Aaitra (March-April), Marga-
5irsha (November-December), and Vaisakha (April-

(Viram., Tod\ as the term atura occurs twice under the latter
reading.
9. M. Macn. X, 1, 12 (uncertain); Nepalese Narada.
10, 11. Minor Narada I, 5, 116, 118 (p. 46). For the Sanskrit,
see Narada-smn'ti, p. 112, note. Nearly identical with a text usually
attributed to Pitamaha, Viram. p. 237.
12. Viram. pp. 239, 240. Nearly identical with Narada I, 19,
254 (p. 101) and Minor Narada I, 5, 113, 114 (p. 46).
13, 14 a. V. T.; M. Macn. X, 1, 10 (uncertain). These two texts
are elsewhere attributed to Pitamaha, and it is certainly difficult to
reconcile them with 12.
14 b. Viram. p. 240. In the quotations, this text comes after