Agni Purana

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.

न निषेध्योऽल्पबाधस्तु सेतुः कल्याणकारकः । परभूमिं हरन् कूपः स्वल्पक्षेत्रो बहूदकः ।। २५८.

A dam that causes little harm and brings benefit should not be prohibited; but a well that takes another’s land, though small in area, if it has much water, is not permitted.

स्वामिने योऽनिवेद्यैव क्षेत्रे सेतुं प्रकल्पयेत् । उत्पन्ने स्वामिनो भोगस्तदभावे महीपतेः ।। २५८.

Whoever constructs a dam in a field without informing the owner, the enjoyment belongs to the owner if present; if absent, it belongs to the king.

फालाहतमपि क्षेत्रं यो न कुर्यान्न कारयेत् । स प्रदाप्योऽकृष्टफलं क्षेत्रमन्येन कारयेत् ।। २५८.

If one does not cultivate or have cultivated a field that has been plowed, he must compensate with uncultivated produce and have the field cultivated by another.

मासानष्टौ तु महिषो सस्यघातम्थ कारिणी । दण्डनाया तदर्द्धन्तु गौस्तदर्द्धनजाविकं ।। २५८.

If a buffalo causes destruction of crops, the penalty is eight months; for a cow, half of that; for a sheep or goat, half of the cow’s penalty.

भक्षयित्वोपविष्टानां यथोक्ताद् द्विगुणो दमः । सममेषां विवितेपि खरेष्ट्रं महिषीसमम् ।। २५८.

For animals that have eaten and are sitting, the prescribed penalty is doubled; for those in a separate enclosure, the penalty for a buffalo is equal to that for a cow.

यावत् सस्यं विनष्टन्तु तावत् क्षेत्री फलं लभेत् । पालस्ताड्योऽथ गोस्वामी पूर्वोक्तं दण्डमर्हति ।। २५८.

As much crop as is destroyed, so much produce the field owner shall receive; the herdsman is to be punished, and the cow’s owner deserves the previously stated penalty.

पथि ग्रामविवीतन्ते क्षेत्रे दोषो न विद्यते । अकामतः कामचारे चौरवद्दण्डमर्हति ।। २५८.

There is no fault for trespass on a field at the edge of a village or on a path; but if done intentionally, the penalty is as for theft.

महोक्षोत्सृष्टपशवः सूतिकागन्तुका च गौः । पालो येषान्तु ते मोच्या दैवराजपरिप्लुताः ।। २५८.

Cattle released by a large ox, cows in labor, or those newly arrived, their herdsmen are to be freed, as they are afflicted by fate or the king.

यथार्पितान् पशून् गोपः सायं प्रत्यर्पयेत्तथा । प्रमादमृतनष्टांश्च प्रदाप्यः कृतवेतनः ।। २५८.

The cowherd should return the entrusted cattle in the evening as they were given; for those lost by negligence or death, he must compensate, having received his wages.

पालदोषविनाशे तु पाले दण्डो विधीयते । अर्द्धत्रयोदशपणः स्वामिनो द्रव्यमेव च ।। २५८.

When loss arises from the herdsman’s fault, a penalty is imposed on him: thirteen and a half paṇas, and the property is to be given to the owner.