DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52452#0343
ORDEALS.
315
X. Ordeals.
1. A forger of gems, pearl, or coral, one with-
holding a deposit, a ruffian, and an adulterer, shall
be tested by oaths or ordeals in every case.
2. In charges relating to a heavy crime or to the
appropriation of a deposit, the king should try the
cause by ordeals, even though there be witnesses.
3. When a thing has happened long ago or in
secret, or when the witnesses have disappeared long-
ago, or are perjured all of them, the trial should be
conducted by having recourse to an ordeal.
4. The balance, fire, water, poison, and, fifthly,
sacred libation ; sixthly, grains of rice ; seventhly, a
hot piece of gold, are declared (to be ordeals).
5. The ploughshare is mentioned as the eighth
kind, the ordeal by Dharma (and Adharma) as the
ninth. All these ordeals have been ordained by the
Self-existent (Brahman).
6. Truth, a vehicle, weapons, cows, seeds, and
gold, venerable gods or Brahmans, the heads of sons
or wives :
7. By these have oaths been ordained, which are
easy to perform and proper for trifling occasions.
8. When a quarrel between two litigants has
arisen regarding a debt or other charge, that ordeal
X, 1-3. Viram. p. 114.
4. M. Macn. X, 1, 2 (uncertain); Viram. p. 225.
5. Viram. p. 225. For a description of the ordeal by Dharma
and Adharma, see the laws of Pitamaha.
6. 7. Viram. p. 226. See Manu VIII, 114; Narada I, 19, 248
(above, p. 100).
8. Tod. n/zadishu tu karyeshu visawzvade parasparam 1 divyazzz
sawkhyanvitaw deyara purushapekshaya tatha 11
315
X. Ordeals.
1. A forger of gems, pearl, or coral, one with-
holding a deposit, a ruffian, and an adulterer, shall
be tested by oaths or ordeals in every case.
2. In charges relating to a heavy crime or to the
appropriation of a deposit, the king should try the
cause by ordeals, even though there be witnesses.
3. When a thing has happened long ago or in
secret, or when the witnesses have disappeared long-
ago, or are perjured all of them, the trial should be
conducted by having recourse to an ordeal.
4. The balance, fire, water, poison, and, fifthly,
sacred libation ; sixthly, grains of rice ; seventhly, a
hot piece of gold, are declared (to be ordeals).
5. The ploughshare is mentioned as the eighth
kind, the ordeal by Dharma (and Adharma) as the
ninth. All these ordeals have been ordained by the
Self-existent (Brahman).
6. Truth, a vehicle, weapons, cows, seeds, and
gold, venerable gods or Brahmans, the heads of sons
or wives :
7. By these have oaths been ordained, which are
easy to perform and proper for trifling occasions.
8. When a quarrel between two litigants has
arisen regarding a debt or other charge, that ordeal
X, 1-3. Viram. p. 114.
4. M. Macn. X, 1, 2 (uncertain); Viram. p. 225.
5. Viram. p. 225. For a description of the ordeal by Dharma
and Adharma, see the laws of Pitamaha.
6. 7. Viram. p. 226. See Manu VIII, 114; Narada I, 19, 248
(above, p. 100).
8. Tod. n/zadishu tu karyeshu visawzvade parasparam 1 divyazzz
sawkhyanvitaw deyara purushapekshaya tatha 11