________________
IX, 291.
394
for magic rites with roots (practised by persons) not related (to him against whom they are directed), and for various kinds of sorcery, a fine of two hundred (panas) shall be inflicted.
LAWS OF MANU.
291. He who sells (for seed-corn that which is) not seed-corn, he who takes up seed (already sown), and he who destroys a boundary(-mark), shall be punished by mutilation.
292. But the king shall cause a goldsmith who behaves dishonestly, the most nocuous of all the thorns, to be cut to pieces with razors.
293. For the theft of agricultural implements, of arms and of medicines, let the king award punishment, taking into account the time (of the offence) and the use (of the object).
all incantations and sacrifices, taught either in the Veda or in secular works, which are intended to destroy life. The magic rites, performed with roots, are those which are intended to bring a person into one's power. These are permitted, if practised against a husband or a relative (Nâr.). The krityâh, 'sorcery,' are such spells as produce diseases, or cause the failure of an adversary's undertakings. If the abhikâras are successful, the punishment is that of murder (Medh., Kull.).
291. Instead of bigotkrishtam (Kull.), which is explained 'who sells seed-corn placed (at the top of a bag of worthless grain),' the correct reading seems to be bigotkrash/â, 'he who takes up seed (already sown).' Bigotkrash/â occurs in Nâr.'s commentary only, where it is explained bigakâle mahârghatâkâmotkarshakârî, 'he who at sowing time plucks (the seed) out, desiring to raise the price of grain.' All the other commentators give more or less corrupt readings, which, however, all point to the form bigotkrash/â, viz. Medh., bîgetkrush/ah or bigotkriptyah, explained by vandhyânîti kshetra gâtu [kshetrâni kartum] bîgam utkarshati sobhanam yad bîgam kshetre [ta]devoddhritya nayati; Gov., bîgotkrishtâh; Nand., bigotkrishtoh and bigotkrishtâ, explained by bîgânâm uptânâm uddhartâ; K., bîryâtkrashtâ, marked as corrupt.
293. Thus a theft of a plough in the season for ploughing, or of
Digitized by
Google
