________________
I, 347.
ORDEALS BY RICE AND GOLD.
119
*
341. When the defendant has chewed the grains, he shall cause him to spit them on a leaf. If a leaf of the holy fig-tree be not available, he shall take a leaf of the birch-tree (for that purpose).
* 342. Should blood issue forth, or the tooth-flesh be hurt, or the limbs shake, he must be pronounced guilty.
26. The Ordeal of the Hot Piece of Gold.
343. Now I shall give a description of the ordeal of the hot piece of gold, which has been ordained by Brahman himself for the purpose of distinguishing virtue from vice.
* 344. (The judge), after having cleansed himself, shall quickly pour clarified butter into a golden, silver, iron, or earthen vessel, and shall place the vessel on the fire.
* 345. He shall throw into it a shining coin, made of gold, silver, copper, or iron, after having washed
it in water more than once.
* 346. Should (the coin) ever drop into the boiling (mixture), it would be a very dangerous thing to touch him (the fire ?). Therefore he must address the clarified butter with the following prayer:
* 347. Thou art the best instrument of purification, O clarified butter, and (comparable to) Am
343-348. The ordeal of the hot piece of gold (Taptamâsha) derives its name from the gold coin (mâsha) or signet-ring (mudrikâ), which those who are tried by this ordeal are required to pick out of a vessel filled with a boiling liquid, with the thumb and forefinger. They are declared innocent, if the hand remains unhurt.
346. The reading of the first half of this paragraph is quite uncertain, and the above rendering conjectural.
Digitized by
Google
