Agni Purana

त्रियोनिः कीर्त्यते तेन त्रयमेतद्विवादकृत् । द्व्यभियोगस्तु विज्ञेयः शङ्कातत्त्वाभियोगतः ।। २५३.

Three origins are thus described, and these three cause disputes; two types of litigation are to be known: arising from suspicion and from factual assertion.

शङ्काषड्‌भिस्तु संसर्गात्तत्त्वषोढ़ादिदर्शणात् । पज्ञद्वयाभिसम्बन्धाद्‌द्विद्वारः समुदाहृतः ।। २५३.

Suspicion arises from six kinds of contact, and factual assertion from seeing what is due; because of the connection of two kinds of knowledge, two gates are declared.

पूर्ववादस्तयोः पक्षः प्रतिपक्षस्त्वनन्तरः । भूतच्छलानुसारित्वाद्‌द्विगतिः समुदाहृता ।। २५३.

Of the two, the prior statement is the claim, and the counterclaim follows; because of following actual or deceptive grounds, two courses are declared.

ऋणन्देयमदेयञ्च येन यत्र यथा च यत् । दानग्रहणघर्मश्च ऋणादानमिति स्मृतम् ।। २५३.

Debt, what is to be given, what is not to be given, by whom, where, how, and what; giving, receiving, and obligation—this is called debt-taking.

स्वद्रव्यं यत्र विश्रम्भान्निक्षिपत्यविशङ्कितः । निक्षएपन्नामतत् प्रोक्तं व्यवहारपदम्बुधैः ।। २५३.

Where one deposits his own property in trust, without suspicion; this is called deposit, as named by the experts in legal procedure.

वणिक्प्रभृतयो यत्र कर्म सम्भूय कुर्वते । तत्सम्भूयसमुत्थानं व्यवहारपदं विदुः ।। २५३.

Where merchants and others join together to perform work; the arising from such joint action is known as a legal matter.

दत्त्वा द्रव्यञ्च चसम्यग्यः पुनरादातुमिच्छति । दत्त्वाप्रदानिकं नाम तद्विवादपदं स्मृतम् ।। २५३.

When one gives property properly and then wishes to take it back; this is called 'given but not returned,' and is regarded as a cause for dispute.

अभ्युपेत्य च शुश्रूषां यस्तां न प्रतिपद्यते । अशुश्रूषाब्युपेत्यैतद्विवादपदमुच्यते ।। २५३.

When one agrees to serve and does not fulfill that service; this is called 'failure to serve after agreement,' and is named as a cause for dispute.

भृत्यानां वेतनस्योक्तादानादानविधिक्रिया । वेतनस्यानपाकर्म तद्विवादपदं स्मृतम् ।। २५३.

The prescribed procedure for paying and receiving wages of servants; failure to pay wages is regarded as a cause for dispute.

निक्षिप्तं वा परद्रव्यं नष्टं लब्ध्वा प्रहृत्य वा । विक्रीयते परोक्षं यत् स ज्ञेयोऽस्वामिविक्रयः ।। २५३.

When someone finds lost or deposited property belonging to another, or takes it by force, and sells it secretly, that is to be known as the unauthorized sale of another's goods.

विक्रीय पण्यं मूल्येन क्रेत्रे यञ्च न दीयते । विक्रीयासम्प्रदानन्तद्विवादपदमुच्यते ।। २५३.

When an item is sold for a price but the payment is not given to the seller, that is called a dispute regarding the non-delivery after sale.

क्रीत्वा मूल्येन यत्पण्यं क्रेता न बहु मन्यते । क्रीत्वा मूल्येन यत् पण्यं दुष्क्रीतं मन्यतेक्रयी ।। २५३.

When a buyer, after purchasing an item for its price, is dissatisfied with it, or considers the purchased item to be defective, that is a dispute concerning a wrongful sale.

पाखण्डनैगमादीनां स्थितिः समय उच्यते । समयस्यानपाकर्म तद्विवादपदं स्मृतम् ।। २५३.

The established rules among heretics, merchants, and others are called agreements; violation of such agreements is regarded as a matter for dispute.

सेतुकेदारमर्य्यादाविकृष्टाकृष्टनिश्चयाः । शेत्राधिकारे यत्र स्युर्विवादः क्षेत्रजस्तु सः ।। २५३.

Where there are disputes about boundaries, embankments, field limits, or the distinction between cultivated and uncultivated land, that is called a dispute concerning land.

वैवाहिको विधिः स्त्रीणं यत्र पुंसाञ्च कीर्त्त्यते । स्त्रीपुंसंयोगसंज्ञन्तु तद्विवादपदं स्मृतम् ।। २५३.

Where the marriage rules for women and men are discussed, that is known as a dispute regarding the union of man and woman.

विभागोर्थस्य पैत्रस्य पुत्रैर्यस्तु प्रकल्प्यते । दायभागमिति प्रोक्तं विवादपदमुच्यते ।। २५३.

When sons divide ancestral property for the purpose of partition, that is called a dispute regarding inheritance.

सहसा क्रियते कर्म्म यत् किञ्चित् बलदर्पितैः । तत् साहसमिति प्रोक्तं विवादपदमुच्यते ।। २५३.

Whatever act is done suddenly by those filled with force or arrogance, that is called a violent act and is a matter for dispute.

देशजातिकुलादीनामाक्रोशत्यङ्गसंयुतम् । यद्वचः प्रतिकूलार्थं वाक्पारुष्यं तदुच्यते ।। २५३.

Any speech, accompanied by insults about country, caste, or family, that is hostile in meaning, is called verbal abuse.

परगात्रेष्वभिद्रोहो हस्तपादायुधादिभिः । अग्न्यादिभिश्चोपघातैर्दण्डपारुष्यमुच्यते ।। २५३.

Assault on another's body with hands, feet, weapons, or by means such as fire, is called physical abuse.

अक्षवर्ज्जशलाकाद्यैर्दैवतं द्यूतभुच्यते । पञ्चक्रीड़ावयोभिश्च प्राणिद्यूतसमाह्वयः ।। २५३.

Gambling with dice, sticks, and the like is called gambling; and contests involving five kinds of games with living beings are called animal gambling.

प्रकीर्णकः पुनर्ज्ञेयो व्यवहारो निराश्रयः । क्रियाबेदान्मनुष्याणां शतशाखो निगद्यते ।। २५३.

A miscellaneous case is to be known as a transaction without a fixed category; the various types of human actions are said to have a hundred branches.

व्यवहारोऽष्टादशपदस्तेषां भेदोऽथ वै शतम् । क्रियाभेदान्मनुष्याणां शतशाखो निगद्यते ।। २५३.

There are eighteen kinds of legal disputes, and each of them is said to have a hundred subdivisions, corresponding to the various types of human actions.

व्यवहारान्नृपः पश्येज् ज्ञानिविप्रैरकोपनः । शत्रुमित्रसमाः सभ्या अलोभाः श्रुतिवेदिनः ।। २५३.

The king should examine legal disputes with wise and calm Brahmins, with judges who are impartial to friend and foe, free from greed, and learned in the Vedas.

अपश्यता१ कार्य्यवशात् सभ्यैर्विप्रं नियोजयेत् । रागाल्लोभाद्‌भयाद्वापि स्मृत्यपेतादिकारिणः ।। २५३.

If the judges are unable to see the matter due to circumstances, a Brahmin should be appointed by them; those who act out of passion, greed, or fear, and who deviate from the law, should not be appointed.

सभ्याः पृथक् पृथग् दण्ड्या विवादाद्‌द्विगुणो दमः । स्मृत्याचारव्यपेतेन मार्गेण धर्षितः परैः ।। २५३.

If judges individually or collectively are found guilty in a dispute, the penalty for them is double; if they act contrary to the path of law and custom, being corrupted by others.

आवेदयति यद्राज्ञे व्यवहारपदं हि तत्। प्रत्यर्थिनोऽग्रतो लेख्यं यथा वेदितमर्थिना ।। २५३.

Whatever matter is reported to the king is called a legal case; the statement of the defendant should be recorded as understood by the plaintiff.

समामासतदर्द्धाहर्नामजात्यादिचिह्नितम् । श्रुतार्थस्योत्तरं लेख्यं पूर्वावेदकसन्निधौ ।। २५३.

The reply should be written clearly, with the date, names, caste, and other marks, in the presence of the one who first made the statement and after hearing the matter.

ततोऽर्थी लेखयेत्सद्यः प्रतिज्ञातार्थसाधनम् । तत्सिद्धौ सिद्धिमाप्नोति विपरीतमतोऽन्यथा ।। २५३.

Then, the claimant should immediately write down the means for fulfilling the pledged matter; if that is accomplished, he attains success; otherwise, the result is the opposite.

चतुष्पाद्व्यवहारोयं विवादेषूपदर्शितः । अभियोगमनिस्तीर्य्यनैनं प्रत्यबियोजयेत् ।। २५३.

This fourfold procedure is prescribed in disputes; having completed the plaint, one should respond to it accordingly.