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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1* 264. He should cause it to be made of Khadira wood or Simsapa wood, or in default of such, of following elements: 1. Two wooden posts, supporting a transverse beam. The two posts should be fastened in the ground at a distance of one-and-a-half Hastas (1 Hasta = about 18 inches), facing the west and east. The part above ground should be four Hastas long, and the part below ground two Hastas, the whole length of each post amounting to six Hastas. 2. The beam of the balance, by which the scales have to be suspended. The beam itself, which should measure four Hastas, and should be made of Khadira or other strong wood, should be suspended by means of an iron hook and chain in the middle of the transverse beam. 3. The beam of the balance should be surrounded in the middle and at the two extremities, by three SthAnas (belts?) by which two iron hooks should be fastened. 4. The two scales should be suspended at the two ends of the beam, by the iron hooks, and by four strings each. 5. Each of the two scales should move in a wooden arch (torama), which serves the purpose of marking the position of the scales. See Mitakshara and Stenzler’s paper on Ordeals (vol. ix of the Journal of the German Oriental Society), to which a drawing has been added for the purpose of illustrating the statements of the Smriti writers regarding this kind of ordeal. 263 Read rzgvi in the text. 264. Wood of the Khadira tree is the most eligible sort of wood. Then comes Tinduka wood, and lastly Simsapa wood. A. 7 104 NARADA, I, 265. Sala wood, (which must be) without notches and withered portions, and devoid of rents. * 265. These kinds of timber should be used for preparing the beam of the balance, (which should be erected) either in the midst of a public assembly, or before the gates of the royal palace, or in sight of a temple, or in a cross-road. 266. (The balance) must be dug firmly into the earth, after having been covered with perfumes, garlands, and unguents, and after the performance of purificatory and auspicious ceremonies with sour milk, whole grain, clarified butter, and perfumes. 267. This ordeal should always be administered in the presence of the guardians of the world, who must be invoked to. be present for the protection (of virtue and justice), and in sight of everybody (who cares to look on). * 268. It is ordained that all ordeals should be 265. The various places here mentioned are the favourite abodes of Dharmarfga (the king of justice), when he appears on earth. A. The Viramitrodaya and other compositions quote two verses of Katy4yana, to the effect that ordeals should be administered to felons in sight of a temple; to those who have offended against the king, before the gates of his palace; to low-caste persons, in a cross-road ; and to other offenders, in the midst of a public assembly, or court of justice.
2266. It appears from the statements of other legislators, that the ceremonies to be performed on this occasion are perfectly analogous to those which have to take place on the occasion of preparing a sacrificial stake (yQpa). 267. ‘In sight of everybody,’ not in a solitary spot. A. 268-270. This is a digression relative to certain exceptions to the rule in pars. 257, 258. YAgfavalkya II, 96, 99; Vishnu IX, 22. 268. An ordeal is ordained, when the plaintiff declares himself ready to undergo punishment. Where, however, any outrage has been committed against the royal family, an ordeal should be administered even without a declaration of this sort. A. I, 271. ORDEAL BY BALANCE. 105 administered in the forenoon, the person (to be tested) having fasted for a day and a night, taken a bath, and wearing his wet dress. 269. Excepting cases of high treason, an ordeal shall not be administered, unless the plaintiff comes forward and declares himself ready to undergo punishment in case of his being defeated. 270. The king may inflict ordeals on his own servants, even without the one party declaring himself ready to undergo punishment. On the other hand, in the case of other persons accused of a crime, (he should administer ordeals) according to law (only). * 271. After having well fastened the two scales by the hooks of the beam, he should place the man in the one scale and a stone in the other. The essential features of the proceedings described in pars. 271-284 may be summarized as follows: 1. The person to be tested by this ordeal should be placed in the one scale, and a basket filled with stones and sand placed in the other scale, as an equivalent. 2. The basket having been made precisely equal in weight to the man with the help of goldsmiths and other persons skilled in the practice of weighing, the position of the beam should be marked on each of the two arches. 3. After that, the man should be allowed to descend from the scale. The judge should admonish him, and he should get into the scale again, after a bill recounting the charge raised against him has been fastened on his head. 4. A Brahman should address the balance with prayers. 5. The man having descended once more from the scale, the result of the second weighing should be compared with the result of the first weighing. If he has risen, i.e. if he has proved lighter than the first time, he shall be acquitted; if the scale has gone down, or if it has remained in the same place as before, he must be pronounced guilty. 6. If any part of the balance has broken during the proceeding, he has to be acquitted. 271. The term ‘a stone’ seems to denote an equivalent here and in the next paragraph. The sequel shows that the equivalent consists of a basket filled with stones and other objects. 106 NARADA. T, 272.
36. If any part of the balance has broken during the proceeding, he has to be acquitted. 271. The term ‘a stone’ seems to denote an equivalent here and in the next paragraph. The sequel shows that the equivalent consists of a basket filled with stones and other objects. 106 NARADA. T, 272. * 272. He should weigh the man on the northern side, and the stone on the southern side. There (in the southern scale) he should (place) a basket and fill it up with bricks, mud, and grains of sand. 273. In the first weighing, the weight (of the man) should be ascertained with the aid of experienced men, and the arch marked at that height which corresponds to the even position of the two scales. * 274. Goldsmiths, merchants, and skilful braziers experienced in the art of weighing, should inspect the beam of the balance. *275. After having first weighed the man, and having made (on the arches) a mark for the beam, in order to show the (even) position of the scales, he should cause him to descend from the balance. * 276. After having admonished him with solemn imprecations he should cause the man to get into the scale again, after having fastened a writing on 273-275. Goldsmiths, merchants, braziers, and other persons familiar with the art of weighing, should ascertain whether the man and the equivalent are precisely equal in weight, and whether the beam of the balance is quite straight, by pouring some water (on the beam of the balance?). A. According to the Pitémaha-smriti, the water shall be poured on the beam of the balance. If it does not trickle down from the beam, the beam may be supposed to be straight. ‘The way in which the position of the scales and of the beam of the balance has to be marked on the two arches, may be gathered from the YAgiiavalkya-smreti, which ordains that a line shall be drawn (across the arches). 276. He should cause the man to get into the scale once more, after having reminded him of his good actions and of the preeminence of truth, having invoked the deities, and having fastened on his head a bill recounting the charge, and containing an imprecation. The whole proceeding must not take place in windy or rainy weather. A. The Viramitrodaya and other compilations quote another text of Narada, according to which no verdict should be given if the scales have been moved by the wind. I, 283. ORDEAL BY BALANCE, 107 his head. There must be neither wind nor rainfall (at the time when this ordeal is being performed). 277. When he has ascended (the scale), a Brahman, holding the scale in his hand, should recite the following : ‘ Thou art called dha¢a (a balance), which appellation is synonymous with dharma (justice). * 278. Thou knowest the bad and good actions of all beings. This man, being arraigned in a cause, is weighed upon thee. 279. Thou art superior to gods, demons, and mortals in point of veracity. [Thou, Balance, hast been created by the gods in time out of mind, as a receptacle of truth.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1* 264. He should cause it to be made of Khadira wood or Simsapa wood, or in default of such, of following elements: 1. Two wooden posts, supporting a transverse beam. The two posts should be fastened in the ground at a distance of one-and-a-half Hastas (1 Hasta = about 18 inches), facing the west and east. The part above ground should be four Hastas long, and the part below ground two Hastas, the whole length of each post amounting to six Hastas. 2. The beam of the balance, by which the scales have to be suspended. The beam itself, which should measure four Hastas, and should be made of Khadira or other strong wood, should be suspended by means of an iron hook and chain in the middle of the transverse beam. 3. The beam of the balance should be surrounded in the middle and at the two extremities, by three SthAnas (belts?) by which two iron hooks should be fastened. 4. The two scales should be suspended at the two ends of the beam, by the iron hooks, and by four strings each. 5. Each of the two scales should move in a wooden arch (torama), which serves the purpose of marking the position of the scales. See Mitakshara and Stenzler’s paper on Ordeals (vol. ix of the Journal of the German Oriental Society), to which a drawing has been added for the purpose of illustrating the statements of the Smriti writers regarding this kind of ordeal. 263 Read rzgvi in the text. 264. Wood of the Khadira tree is the most eligible sort of wood. Then comes Tinduka wood, and lastly Simsapa wood. A. 7 104 NARADA, I, 265. Sala wood, (which must be) without notches and withered portions, and devoid of rents. * 265. These kinds of timber should be used for preparing the beam of the balance, (which should be erected) either in the midst of a public assembly, or before the gates of the royal palace, or in sight of a temple, or in a cross-road. 266. (The balance) must be dug firmly into the earth, after having been covered with perfumes, garlands, and unguents, and after the performance of purificatory and auspicious ceremonies with sour milk, whole grain, clarified butter, and perfumes. 267. This ordeal should always be administered in the presence of the guardians of the world, who must be invoked to. be present for the protection (of virtue and justice), and in sight of everybody (who cares to look on). * 268. It is ordained that all ordeals should be 265. The various places here mentioned are the favourite abodes of Dharmarfga (the king of justice), when he appears on earth. A. The Viramitrodaya and other compositions quote two verses of Katy4yana, to the effect that ordeals should be administered to felons in sight of a temple; to those who have offended against the king, before the gates of his palace; to low-caste persons, in a cross-road ; and to other offenders, in the midst of a public assembly, or court of justice.
2266. It appears from the statements of other legislators, that the ceremonies to be performed on this occasion are perfectly analogous to those which have to take place on the occasion of preparing a sacrificial stake (yQpa). 267. ‘In sight of everybody,’ not in a solitary spot. A. 268-270. This is a digression relative to certain exceptions to the rule in pars. 257, 258. YAgfavalkya II, 96, 99; Vishnu IX, 22. 268. An ordeal is ordained, when the plaintiff declares himself ready to undergo punishment. Where, however, any outrage has been committed against the royal family, an ordeal should be administered even without a declaration of this sort. A. I, 271. ORDEAL BY BALANCE. 105 administered in the forenoon, the person (to be tested) having fasted for a day and a night, taken a bath, and wearing his wet dress. 269. Excepting cases of high treason, an ordeal shall not be administered, unless the plaintiff comes forward and declares himself ready to undergo punishment in case of his being defeated. 270. The king may inflict ordeals on his own servants, even without the one party declaring himself ready to undergo punishment. On the other hand, in the case of other persons accused of a crime, (he should administer ordeals) according to law (only). * 271. After having well fastened the two scales by the hooks of the beam, he should place the man in the one scale and a stone in the other. The essential features of the proceedings described in pars. 271-284 may be summarized as follows: 1. The person to be tested by this ordeal should be placed in the one scale, and a basket filled with stones and sand placed in the other scale, as an equivalent. 2. The basket having been made precisely equal in weight to the man with the help of goldsmiths and other persons skilled in the practice of weighing, the position of the beam should be marked on each of the two arches. 3. After that, the man should be allowed to descend from the scale. The judge should admonish him, and he should get into the scale again, after a bill recounting the charge raised against him has been fastened on his head. 4. A Brahman should address the balance with prayers. 5. The man having descended once more from the scale, the result of the second weighing should be compared with the result of the first weighing. If he has risen, i.e. if he has proved lighter than the first time, he shall be acquitted; if the scale has gone down, or if it has remained in the same place as before, he must be pronounced guilty. 6. If any part of the balance has broken during the proceeding, he has to be acquitted. 271. The term ‘a stone’ seems to denote an equivalent here and in the next paragraph. The sequel shows that the equivalent consists of a basket filled with stones and other objects. 106 NARADA. T, 272.
36. If any part of the balance has broken during the proceeding, he has to be acquitted. 271. The term ‘a stone’ seems to denote an equivalent here and in the next paragraph. The sequel shows that the equivalent consists of a basket filled with stones and other objects. 106 NARADA. T, 272. * 272. He should weigh the man on the northern side, and the stone on the southern side. There (in the southern scale) he should (place) a basket and fill it up with bricks, mud, and grains of sand. 273. In the first weighing, the weight (of the man) should be ascertained with the aid of experienced men, and the arch marked at that height which corresponds to the even position of the two scales. * 274. Goldsmiths, merchants, and skilful braziers experienced in the art of weighing, should inspect the beam of the balance. *275. After having first weighed the man, and having made (on the arches) a mark for the beam, in order to show the (even) position of the scales, he should cause him to descend from the balance. * 276. After having admonished him with solemn imprecations he should cause the man to get into the scale again, after having fastened a writing on 273-275. Goldsmiths, merchants, braziers, and other persons familiar with the art of weighing, should ascertain whether the man and the equivalent are precisely equal in weight, and whether the beam of the balance is quite straight, by pouring some water (on the beam of the balance?). A. According to the Pitémaha-smriti, the water shall be poured on the beam of the balance. If it does not trickle down from the beam, the beam may be supposed to be straight. ‘The way in which the position of the scales and of the beam of the balance has to be marked on the two arches, may be gathered from the YAgiiavalkya-smreti, which ordains that a line shall be drawn (across the arches). 276. He should cause the man to get into the scale once more, after having reminded him of his good actions and of the preeminence of truth, having invoked the deities, and having fastened on his head a bill recounting the charge, and containing an imprecation. The whole proceeding must not take place in windy or rainy weather. A. The Viramitrodaya and other compilations quote another text of Narada, according to which no verdict should be given if the scales have been moved by the wind. I, 283. ORDEAL BY BALANCE, 107 his head. There must be neither wind nor rainfall (at the time when this ordeal is being performed). 277. When he has ascended (the scale), a Brahman, holding the scale in his hand, should recite the following : ‘ Thou art called dha¢a (a balance), which appellation is synonymous with dharma (justice). * 278. Thou knowest the bad and good actions of all beings. This man, being arraigned in a cause, is weighed upon thee. 279. Thou art superior to gods, demons, and mortals in point of veracity. [Thou, Balance, hast been created by the gods in time out of mind, as a receptacle of truth.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
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