Agni Purana

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.

ग्रामेच्छया गोप्रचारो भूमिराजवशेन वा । द्विजस्तृणैधः पुष्पाणि सर्वतः स्ववदाहरेत् ।। २५८.

If cattle graze by the village’s wish or by the king’s order, a twice-born may take grass, firewood, and flowers everywhere as if they were his own.

धनुःशतं परीणाहो ग्रामक्षेत्रान्तरं भवेत् । द्वे शने खर्वटस्य स्यान्नगरस्य चतुःशतम् ।। २५८.

The distance between village and field should be one hundred bows; for a hamlet, it is two bows, and for a city, four hundred.

स्वं लभेतान्यविक्रीतं क्रेतुर्द्दोषोऽप्रकाशिते । हीनाद्रहो हीनमूल्ये वेलाहीने च तस्करः ।। २५८.

One may reclaim his own property if not sold to another; the buyer is at fault if he does not disclose it; one who buys at a reduced price, or at an improper time, or without proper boundary, is a thief.

नष्टा पहृतमासाद्य हर्त्तारं ग्राहयेन्नरम् । देशकालातिपत्तौ वा गृहीत्वा स्वयमर्पयेत् ।। २५८.

If lost or stolen property is found, the thief should be brought to the authorities; if the time and place are exceeded, one should take it and return it himself.

विक्रेतुर्द्दर्शनाच्छुद्धिः स्वामी द्रव्यं नृपो दमम् । क्रेता मूल्यं समाप्नोति तस्माद्यस्तव विक्रयी ।। २५८.

By the presentation of the goods, the seller is purified; the owner receives the property, the king the fine; the buyer obtains the price—thus, whoever sells is bound by this.

आगमेनोपभोगेन नष्टं भाव्यमतोऽन्यथा । पञ्चबन्धो दमस्तस्य राज्ञे तेनाप्यभाविते ।। २५८.

If something is lost through use or by natural means, it must be accounted for as such; if otherwise, a fivefold bond is imposed as a fine by the king, even if the loss is not proven.

हृतं प्रनष्टं यो द्रव्यं परहस्तदवाप्नुयात् । अनिवेद्य नृपे दण्ड्यः स तु षण्णवतिं पणान् ।। २५८.

Whoever, having found stolen or lost property in another's possession, does not report it to the king, shall be fined ninety-six paṇas.

शौलिककैः स्थानपालैर्वा नष्टापहृतमाहृतं । अर्व्वाक् संवत्सरात् स्वामी लभते परतो नृपः ।। २५८.

If lost or stolen property is recovered by the efforts of guards or watchmen, the owner may reclaim it within a year; afterwards, the king takes possession.

पणानेकशफे दद्याच्चतुरः पञ्च मानुषे । महिषोष्ट्रगवां द्वौ द्वौ पादं पादमजाविके ।। २५८.

For a one-hoofed animal, four paṇas should be given; for a human, five; for buffalo, camel, or cow, two each; for sheep and goats, a quarter each.

स्वकुटुम्‌बाविरोधेन देयं दारसुतादृते । नान्वये सति सर्वस्वं देयं यच्चान्यसंश्रुतम् ।। २५८.

Except for wife and children, property should be given without opposition from one's own family; if there are heirs, the entire estate should not be given away, nor what has been promised to another.