Agni Purana

बहवः स्युर्यदि स्वांशैर्दद्युः प्रतिभुवो धनम् । एकच्छायाश्रितेष्वेषु धनिकस्य यथारुचि ।। २५४.

If there are many guarantors, they should pay the money according to their share; but among those under one authority, payment is at the lender's discretion.

प्रतिभूर्दापितो यत्र प्रकाशं धनिने धनम् । द्विगुणं प्रतिदातव्यमृणिकैस्तस्य तद्भवेत् ।। २५४.

Where a guarantor has openly paid the lender, the debtor must repay him double; this is the rule for such cases.

स्वस्न्ततिस्त्रीपशव्यं धान्यं द्विगुणमेव च । वस्त्रं चतुर्गुणं प्रोक्तं रसश्चाष्टगुणस्तथा ।। २५४.

For one's own offspring, women, cattle, and grain, double repayment is prescribed; for cloth, fourfold; and for liquids, eightfold.

आधिः प्रणश्येत् द्विगुणे धने यदि न मोक्ष्यते । काले कालकृतं नश्येत् फलभोग्यो न नश्यति ।। २५४.

A pledge is forfeited if double the amount is not repaid; if lost due to time or circumstance, it is forfeited, but if enjoyed for its fruit, it is not lost.

गोप्याधिबोग्यो नावृद्धिः सोपकारेऽथ भाविते । नष्टो देयो विनष्टश्च दैवराजकृतादृते ।। २५४.

A pledge that is hidden or enjoyed does not accrue interest, even if there is benefit; if lost, it must be returned unless lost by act of God or king.

आधेः स्वीकरणात्सिद्धीरक्षमाणोप्यसारताम् । यातश्चेदन्य आधेयो धनभाग्‌ वा धनी भवेत् ।। २५४.

If, after accepting a pledge, the pledged item is destroyed or rendered useless, the lender becomes entitled to the share of wealth or the pledged money.

चरित्रं बन्धककृतं सवृद्धं दापयेद्वनं । सत्यह्कारकृतं द्रव्यं द्विगुणं प्रतिदापयेत् ।। २५४.

Property pledged for conduct or as security, with interest, must be repaid; property pledged for truthfulness must be repaid double.

उपस्थितस्य मोक्तव्य आधिर्दण्डोऽन्यथा भवेत् । प्रयोजके सति धनं कुलेन्यस्याधिमाप्नुयात् ।। २५४.

When the lender is present, the pledge must be released; otherwise, a penalty applies. If the purpose is fulfilled, the lender may reclaim the pledge.

तत्‌कालकृतमूल्यो वा तत्र तिष्ठेदवृद्धिकः । विना धारणकाद्वापि विक्रीणीते ससाक्षिकम् ।। २५४.

The value set at the time or the original price should remain without interest; or, if not held, it may be sold with witnesses.

यदा तु द्विगुणीभूतमृणमाधौ तदा खलु । मोच्यश्चाधिस्तदुत्पाद्य प्रविष्टे द्विगुणे धणे ।। २५४.

When the debt has doubled in the pledge, the pledge must be released; after producing the doubled amount, the pledge is freed.

व्यसनस्थमनाख्याय हस्तेऽन्यस्य यदर्पयेत् । द्रव्यं तदौपनिधिकं प्रतिदेयं तथैव तत् ।। २५४.

If someone in distress, without declaring it, places property in another's hand, that property is considered a deposit and must be returned in the same manner.

न दाप्योऽपहृतं तत्तु राजदैवकतस्करैः । प्रेपश्चेन्मार्गिते दत्ते दाप्यो दण्डश्च तत्समम् ।। २५४.

One is not liable to return property that has been taken away by the king, gods, or thieves; but if it is later found and given back after being sought, the person must restore it and pay an equivalent fine.

आजीवन् स्वेच्छया दण्ड्यो दाप्यस्तच्चापि सोदयं । याचितावाहितन्यासे निक्षेपेष्वप्ययं विधिः ।।२५४.

If someone has taken property for their own use, they must be punished for life and must return it with interest; this rule also applies to deposits that were entrusted or pledged, whether requested or not.

अग्निरुवाच तपस्विनो दानशीलाः कुलीनाः सत्यवादिनः । धर्म्मप्रधाना ऋजवः पुत्रवविते दवीविवुतीः ।। २५५.

Agni said: Ascetics, those devoted to charity, those of noble lineage, speakers of truth, those who prioritize righteousness, the upright, and those who have sons and grandsons—

पञ्चयज्ञक्रियायुक्ताः साक्षइणः पञ्च वा त्रयः । यथाजाति यथावर्ण सर्व्वे सर्व्वेषु वा स्मृताः ।। २५५.

Those engaged in the five sacrifices, those who are witnesses—five, or three, according to their birth and class—all are considered valid in all matters.

स्त्रीवृद्धबालकितवमत्तोन्मत्ताभिशस्तकाः । रङ्गावतारिपाषण्डिकूटकृद्विकलेन्द्रियाः ।। २५५.

Women, the elderly, children, gamblers, intoxicated or insane persons, the accused, actors, heretics, forgers, and those with impaired senses—

पतिताप्तान्नसम्बन्धिसहायरिपुतस्कराः । असाक्षिणः सर्व्वसाक्षई चौर्य्यपारुष्यसाहसे ।। २५५.

The fallen, those who eat with outcasts, associates, companions, enemies, thieves, those without witnesses, and all witnesses in cases of theft, abuse, or violence—

उभयानुमतः साक्षई भवत्येकोपि धर्म्मवित । अब्रुवन् हिनरः साक्षअयमृणं सदशबन्धकम् ।। २५५.

A witness is valid if both parties agree, even if there is only one who knows righteousness; if a man does not speak as a witness, he is always bound by the debt of silence.

राज्ञा सर्वं प्रदाप्यः स्यात् षट्‌चत्वारिंशकेऽहनि । न ददाति हि यः साक्षअयं जानन्नपि नराधमः ।। २५५.

He must pay everything to the king on the forty-sixth day; the wicked man who, though knowing, does not give witness—

स कूटसाक्षइणआं पापैस्तुल्यो दण्डेन चैव हि । साक्षिणः श्रावयेद्वादिप्रतिवादिसमीपगान् ।। २५५.

He is equal in sin and punishment to false witnesses; witnesses should be made to testify in the presence of both plaintiff and defendant.

ये पातककृतां लोका महापातकिनां तथा । अग्निदानाञ्च ये लोका ये च स्त्रीबालघातिनां ।। २५५.

The worlds attained by those who commit great sins, by arsonists, and by killers of women and children—

तान् सर्व्वान् समवाप्नोति यः साक्ष्यमनृतं वदेत् । सुकृतं यत्त्वाया किञअचिज्जन्मान्तरशतैः कृतम् ।। २५५.

All these worlds are reached by one who gives false testimony; whatever merit he has gained in hundreds of previous births—

तस्तर्वं तस्य जानीहि यं पराजयसे मृषा । द्वैधे बहूनां वचनं समेषु गुणइनान्तथा ।। २५५.

Know that all of it is lost if you defeat someone by lying; when there is a division of opinion among many, the view of those with greater virtue prevails.

गुणिद्वैधे तु वचनं ग्राह्यं ये गुणवत्तराः । यस्योचुः साक्षइणः सत्यां प्रतिज्ञां स जयी भवेत् ।। २५५.

When there is a tie in virtue, the testimony of those who are more virtuous should be accepted; the one for whom the witnesses affirm a true oath is victorious.

अन्यथा वादिनो यस्य ध्रुवस्तस्य पराजयः उक्तेपि साक्षइभिः साक्ष्ये यद्यन्ये गुणवत्तराः ।। २५५.

Otherwise, the one whose witnesses are less virtuous is certainly defeated; even if witnesses have spoken, if others are more virtuous, their word prevails.

द्विगुणावान्यथा ब्रयुः कूटाः स्यु पूर्वसाक्षइणः । पृथक् पृथग्दण्डनीयाः कूटकृत्साक्षइणस्तथा ।। २५५.

If the later witnesses, being twice as many, speak differently, the earlier witnesses are considered false; forgers and false witnesses should be punished separately.

विवादाद् द्विगुणं दण्डं विवास्यो ब्राह्मणः स्मृतः । यः साक्ष्यं श्रावितोऽन्येभ्यो निह्नते तत्तमोवृतः ।। २५५.

In disputes, a double fine is prescribed; a Brahmin should be banished if, after being summoned to testify, he conceals the truth, being covered by darkness.

स दाप्योष्टगुणं दण्डं ब्राह्मणन्तु विवासयेत् । वर्णिनां हि बधो यत्र तत्र साक्ष्यऽनृतं वदेत् ।। २५५.

He must pay an eightfold fine, and a Brahmin should be banished; wherever a person of any class gives false testimony, imprisonment is prescribed.

यः कश्चिदर्थोऽभिमतः स्वरुकच्या तु परस्परं । लेख्यं तु साक्षिमत् कार्य्यं तस्मिन् धनिकपूर्वकम् ।। २५५.

Whatever matter is mutually agreed upon by both parties, it should be documented with witnesses, and the lender should be mentioned first.