Agni Purana

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.

यद्यस्मि पापकृन्मातस्ततो मां त्वमधो नय । शुद्धश्चेद्‌गमयोद्‌र्ध्वम्मां तुलामित्यभिमन्त्रयेत् ।। २५५.

If I am a sinner, O mother, then lead me downward; but if I am pure, carry me upward—thus one should address the scale.

करौ विमृदितव्रीहेर्लक्षयित्वा ततो न्यसेत् । सप्ताश्वत्थस्य पत्राणि तावत् सूत्रेण वेष्टयेत् ।। २५५.

After marking the hands with pressed rice, one should then place upon them seven leaves of the aśvattha tree, binding them with a thread.

त्वमेव सर्वभूतानामन्तश्चरसि पावक । साक्षिवत् पुण्यपापेभ्यो ब्रूहि सत्यङ्करे मम ।। २५५.

You alone, O Fire, move within all beings; as a witness to virtue and sin, declare the truth for me.

तस्येत्युक्तवतो लौहं पश्चाशत्‌पलिकं समम् । अग्निवर्णं न्यसेत् पिण्डं हस्तयोरुभयोरपि ।। २५५.

After saying this, place an iron lump weighing fifty palas, glowing like fire, equally in both hands.

स तमादाय सप्तैव मण्डलानि शनैर्व्रजेत् । षोड़शङ्गुलकं ज्ञेयं मण्डलं तावदन्तरम् ।। २५५.

Taking that, let him slowly walk through seven circles; each circle should be measured as sixteen finger-breadths apart.

मुक्त्वाग्निं मृदितव्रीहिरदग्धः शुद्धिमाप्नुयात् । अन्तरा पतिते पिण्डे सन्देहे वा पुनर्हरेत् ।। २५५.

If, after passing through the fire, the pressed rice remains unburnt, he attains purity; but if the lump falls or there is doubt, the trial should be repeated.

पवित्राणां पवित्र त्वं शोध्यं शोधय पावक। सत्येन माभिरक्षस्व वरुणेत्यभिशस्तकम् ।। २५५.

O purifier of purifiers, cleanse what is to be cleansed, O Fire; protect me with truth, O Varuṇa—thus is the oath recited.

नाभिदघ्नोदकस्थस्य गृहीत्वोरू जलं विशेत् । समकालमिषुं मुक्तमानीयाद्यो जवी नरः ।। २५५.

Standing in water up to the navel, having grasped his thighs, he should enter the water; at the same time, an arrow is released, and the man who is swift should fetch it.

यदि तस्मिन्निमग्नाङ्गं पश्येच्चेच्छुद्धिमाप्नुयात् । त्वं विष ब्रह्मणः पुत्र सत्यधर्मे व्यवस्थितः ।। २५५.

If, while submerged, his body is seen, he attains purity; you are poison, O son of Brahmā, established in the law of truth.

त्रायस्वास्मादभीशापात् सत्येन भव मेऽमृतम् । एवमुक्त्वा विषं शार्ङ्ग भक्षयेद्धिमशैलजं ।। २५५.

Protect me from the blow of this curse; by truth, let me be immortal; having said this, O Śārṅga, let him eat the sacred poison from the Himālaya.

यस्य वेगैर्विना जीर्णं शुद्धिं तस्य विनिर्द्दिशेत् । देवानुग्रान् समभ्यर्च्च्य तत्स्नानोदकमाहरेत् ।। २५५.

If, without any adverse effects, he digests it, declare him pure; after worshipping the gods, he should bring water for bathing.

संश्राव्य पाययेत्तस्माज्जलात्तु प्रसृतित्रयम् । आचतुर्द्दशमादह्नो यस्य नो राजदैविकम् ।। २५५.

Having announced it, let him drink three handfuls of that water; up to the fourteenth day, if no royal or divine harm occurs—

व्यसनं जायते घोरं स शुद्धः स्यादसंशयम् । सत्यवाहनशस्त्राणि गोबीजकनकानि च ।। २५५.

If no terrible calamity arises, he is undoubtedly pure; the weapons of truth, cows, seeds, and gold—

देवतागुरुपादाश्च इष्टापूर्त्तकृतानि च । इत्येते सुकराः प्रोक्ताः शपथाः स्वल्पसंशये ।। २५५.

The feet of deities and teachers, and acts of sacrifice and charity—these oaths are declared easy in cases of slight doubt.

अग्निरुवाच सीग्नो विवादे क्षेत्रस्य सामन्ताः स्थविरा गणाः गोपाः सीमाकृषाणा ये सर्वे च वनगोचराः ।। २५७.

Agni said: In a dispute over land, the elders of the community, the herdsmen, those who have drawn the boundary, and all who frequent the forest and fields—

नयेयुरेते सीमानं स्थलाङ्गारतुषद्रुमैः । सेतुवल्मीकनिम्नास्थिचैत्याद्यैरुपलक्षिताम् ।। २५७.

These should determine the boundary, marked by earth, charcoal, husks, trees, embankments, anthills, depressions, cairns, and the like.

रक्तस्रग्वसनाः सीमान्नयेयुः क्षितिधारिणः ।। २५८.

Those who bear red garlands and garments should lead the boundary-markers, O rulers of the earth.

अनृते तु पृथग्दण्ड्या राज्ञा मध्यमसाहसम् । अभावे ज्ञातृचिह्नानां राजा सीम्नः प्रवर्त्तकः ।। २५८.

If there is falsehood, those responsible are to be punished separately by the king with the middle degree of penalty; if the identifiers of the boundary are absent, the king becomes the initiator of the boundary.

आरामायतनग्रामनिपानोद्यानवेश्मसु । एष एव विधिर्ज्ञेयो वर्षाग्वुप्रवहेषु च ।। २५८.

This same rule is to be understood for gardens, temples, villages, watering places, parks, and houses, as well as for the flow of rainwater.

मर्य्यादायाः प्रभेदेषु क्षेत्रस्य हरणे तथा । मर्य्यादायाश्च दण्ड्याः स्युरधमोत्तममध्यमाः ।। २५८.

In cases of boundary division or land theft, those who violate the boundary are to be punished with lesser, greater, or intermediate penalties.