Agni Purana

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.

समामासतदर्द्धाहर्न्नामजातिस्वगोत्रजैः । सब्रह्मचारिकात्मीयपितृनामादिचिह्नितम् ।। २५५.

It should be written in full, with the name, caste, lineage, and family of the debtor, as well as the names of his fellow students and relatives, and the marks of his ancestors at the beginning.

समाप्तेऽर्थे ऋणी नाम स्वहस्तेन निवेशयेत् । मतं मेऽमुकपुत्रस्य यदत्रोपरिलेखितं ।। २५५.

When the matter is concluded, the debtor should write his name in his own hand; and whatever is written here is considered the opinion of my son so-and-so.

साक्षइणश्च स्वहस्तेन पितृनामकर्पूर्वकम् । अत्राहममुकः साक्षी लिखेयुरिति र्ते समाः ।। २५५.

The witness should also write, in his own hand, his father's name and family; and here I, so-and-so, am a witness—this should be written, unless there is a valid reason not to.

अलिपिज्ञ ऋणी यः स्याल्लेखयेत् स्वमतन्तु सः । साक्षी वा साक्षइणान्येन सर्वसाक्षिसमीपतः ।। २५५.

If the debtor is illiterate, he should state his intention, and a witness or another person in the presence of all witnesses should write it.

उभयाभ्यर्थिनैतन्मया ह्यमुकसूनुना । लिखितं ह्यमुकेनेति लेखकोऽथान्ततो लिखेत ।। २५५.

This document has been written at the request of both parties, by me, the son of so-and-so; thus, at the end, the scribe should write: 'Written by so-and-so.'

विनापि साक्षिभिर्ल्लेख्यं स्वहस्तलिखितञ्च यत् । तत् प्रमाणं स्मृतं सर्वं बलोपधिकृतादृते ।। २५५.

Even without witnesses, a document written in one's own hand is considered valid evidence in all cases, except when obtained by force or fraud.

ऋणं लेख्यकृतं देयं पुरुषैस्त्रिभिरेव तु । आधिस्तु भुज्यते तावद्यावत्तन्न प्रदीयते ।। २५५.

A debt established by a written document should be paid by three persons; a pledge is to be enjoyed until it is returned.

देशान्तरस्थे दुर्ल्लेख्ये नष्टोन्मृष्टे हृते तथा । भिन्ने च्छिन्ने तथा दग्धे लेख्यमन्यत्तु कारयेत् ।। २५५.

If the document is in another country, difficult to read, lost, erased, stolen, broken, torn, or burned, another document should be prepared.

सन्दिग्धार्थविशुद्ध्यर्थं स्वहस्तलिखितं तु यत् । युक्तिप्राप्तिक्रियाचिह्नसम्बन्धागमहेतुभिः ।। २५५.

To clarify a doubtful matter, a document written in one's own hand should be supported by logical reasoning, proper procedure, marks of action, connection, and cause.

लेख्येस्य पृष्ठेऽभिलिखेत् प्रविष्टमघमर्णिनः । धनी चोपगतं दद्यात् स्वहस्तपरिचिह्नितम् ।। २५५.

On the back of the document, it should be written that the debtor has entered the debt; and the creditor, upon receiving payment, should give a receipt marked with his own hand.

दत्वर्णं पाटयेल्लेख्यं शुद्ध्यै चान्यत्तु कारयेत् । साक्षिमच्च भवेद्यत्तु दद्दातव्यं समाक्षिकं ।। २५५.

After payment, the document should be torn; for further clarification, another should be made. If there are witnesses, what is to be given should be given in their presence.

तुलाग्न्यापो विषं कोषो दिव्यानीह विशुद्धये । महाभियोगेष्वेतानि शीर्षकस्थेऽभियोक्तरि ।। २५५.

The balance, fire, water, poison, and the chest are ordeals here for purification, in cases of major accusations, when the accuser is at the head.

रुच्या वान्यतरः कुर्य्यादितरो वर्त्तयेच्छिरः । विनापि शीर्षकात् कुर्य्यान्नृपद्रोहेऽथ पातके ।। २५५.

By choice, either party may undergo the ordeal, and the other will place his head (as a pledge); even without the ordeal, it may be done in cases of treason or grave crime.

नासहस्राद्धरेत् फालं न तुलान्न विषन्तथा । नृपार्थेष्वभियोगेषु वहेयुः शुचयः सदा ।। २५५.

One should not bear the plough from a thousand, nor the balance, nor poison; in royal cases, only the pure should always undergo the ordeal.

सहस्रार्थे लुलादीनि कोषमल्पेऽपि दापयेत् । शतार्द्धं दापयेच्छुद्धमशुद्धो दण्डभाग भवेत् ।। २५५.

For a thousand, the balance and others, and the chest even for a small amount, should be administered; for half a hundred, the pure should be made to undergo it, but the impure should receive a penalty.

सचेलस्नातमाहूय सूर्य्योदय उपोषितम् । कारयेत्सर्वदिव्यानि नृपब्राह्मणसन्निधौ ।। २५५.

Having summoned the person, bathed and clothed, fasting at sunrise, all ordeals should be conducted in the presence of the king and a Brahmin.

तुला स्त्रीबालवृद्धान्धपङ्गुब्राह्मणरोगिणां । अग्निर्ज्जलं वा शूद्रस्य यवाः सप्त विषस्य वा ।। २५५.

The balance is for women, children, the aged, the blind, the lame, Brahmins, and the sick; fire or water for a Shudra; seven grains of barley or poison as well.

तुलाधारणविद्वद्भिरभियुक्तस्तुलाश्रितः । प्रतिमानसमीभूतो रेखां कृत्वावतारितः ।। २५५.

The accused, skilled in bearing the balance, should be placed on the balance, made equal to the counterweight, and after marking the line, should be lowered.

आदित्यचन्द्रावनिलोऽनलश्च द्यौर्भूमिरापो हृदयं यमश्च । अहश्च रात्रिस्च उभे च सन्ध्ये धर्म्मश्च जानाति नरस्य वृत्तम् ।। २५५.

The sun, the moon, the wind, and fire; the sky, the earth, the waters, the heart, and Yama; day and night, both twilights, and Dharma—all these know the conduct of a person.

त्वं तुले सत्यधामासि पुरा देवैविनिर्मिता । सत्यं वदस्व कल्याणि संशयान्मां विमोचय ।। २५५.

You are the abode of truth, O scale, created by the gods in ancient times; speak the truth, O auspicious one, and free me from doubt.