Let me tell you, with reverence and clarity, the guidance found in these sacred verses. In matters of property and promise, the wise declare that acceptance—especially of immovable property—must be made openly, so all may know. Whatever has been promised should be faithfully given, and once given, it must never be reclaimed. When it comes to waiting periods for various exchanges—seeds, animals, gems, women, and men—specific durations are set: ten, one, five, or seven days, a month, three days, or half a month, each according to the item concerned. When dealing in gold, silver, tin, lead, copper, or iron, the losses are carefully measured: for gold, two palas per hundred; for silver, one hundred; for tin and lead, eight; for copper, fifteen; and the same for iron. For woolen and cotton goods, the increase is ten palas per hundred, with five palas for medium quality and three for fine. For goods bound with leather or hair, a thirtieth part is considered the loss, but for silk and bark cloth, there is neither loss nor gain. It is essential that those learned in such matters assess the proper compensation for goods, considering place, time, use, and the nature of the loss, declaring their judgment without doubt. If a person has been enslaved by force—by thieves or by being sold—he must be released, and the owner may regain him through devotion, renunciation of food, or payment. However, if a slave has taken up the ascetic life, he remains so until death by the king’s order, and slavery must never be imposed against the order of caste. A student, even after completing his studies, should dwell in the teacher’s house for the appointed time, receiving food from the teacher and offering the proper reward in return. The king, in his wisdom, should establish a place within the city and appoint a learned Brahmin—versed in the three Vedas and provided with means of livelihood—to uphold his own dharma. One who abides by his own dharma and the king’s established law must be diligently protected. If anyone misappropriates communal property or breaks an agreement, the king is to confiscate all his possessions and banish him from the kingdom. All who speak for the good of the assembly must follow its decisions, and any who act against them shall be fined first. Whatever is obtained by one appointed for the assembly’s work must be presented; if he withholds it, he must pay eleven times the amount. The affairs of the people should be deliberated by those learned in the Vedas, pure, and free from greed, and the words of such assembly-minded speakers must be followed. This rule extends to guilds, merchants, heretics, and various groups—the king must protect their distinctions and uphold their customs. If a worker who has received wages abandons his work, he must pay double; if he has not received wages, he must pay an equal amount, and the employer must safeguard the tools. A tenth of profits from trade, cattle, or grain is to be paid, and if wages have not been fixed, the king decides what is due. Should anyone leave the place or time assigned, or perform the work differently, he must pay extra; if more is done, more should be given. For every task completed, the worker is entitled to wages for that much; if neither side fulfills the agreement, the matter should be settled as heard. If goods are lost not by royal or divine act, the carrier must pay; and if the carrier causes delay, he must pay double wages. At the journey’s end, a seventh part of the wage is due; if the goods are abandoned on the road, a fourth; if abandoned halfway, half the wages must be paid, even by the one who abandons. In gambling, the supervisor takes five out of a hundred from the winner’s gain, and ten out of a hundred from a cheat or gambler. He who is properly protected should give the king his due share, and the winner must announce his gain truthfully. When the king’s share is received in a known gambling circle, the winner must pay it at that place; otherwise, payment is not required. Those who witness transactions are also witnesses, and the king must expel those who cheat with false dice, deception, or false oaths, marking them out. Gambling should always be conducted openly to prevent theft and deceit, and this rule applies equally to animal gambling and contests. Agni then spoke: If anyone insults those with defective limbs or senses, whether truthfully or falsely, by means of hymns, he shall be fined twelve and a half paṇas. If one swears, "I will approach your sister or mother," the king shall fine him twenty-five coins. For lower castes, the fine is half; for higher castes, double; and for the highest, twice as much—the penalty is set according to caste and rank. For transgressions against the natural order, the fines are double or triple; but for actions in accordance with caste order, the fine is reduced by half. When the arm, neck, eye, or thigh is destroyed, the penalty is as for verbal abuse; for injuries to the hand, foot, nose, ear, and similar parts, the fine is half that amount. For an offense causing loss of caste, the penalty is the middle degree of fine; for minor offenses, the first degree of fine is imposed. For insulting a learned Brahmin, king, or deity, the highest fine is prescribed; for relatives and guilds, the middle fine; for villagers and country people, the lowest. If there are no witnesses to a case, it should be judged by marks, reasoning, and tradition, but if false marks are suspected, the trial must be conducted with caution. Touching ashes, mud, or dust incurs a fine of ten paṇas; touching impure substances, the heel, or spittle incurs a double fine. The same rule applies to other men's wives; for women of higher status, the fine is double; for those of lower status, half; but if the act is due to confusion, pride, or similar reasons, there is no punishment. If a Brahmin's limb is injured by cutting, the highest fine is imposed; if only bruised, the fine is half that. For bruising the hand or foot, the fines are ten and twenty paṇas, respectively; for mutual injury among all, the prescribed penalty is the middle degree of fine. For pulling out hair, cloth, or hand, the fine is ten paṇas; for causing pain by dragging, binding with cloth, or stepping on the foot, the fine is one hundred. Thus, the righteous path is marked by clear rules, fair compensation, and respect for all, as decreed by the wise and upheld by the king.