Mr. CoLEBROOKE OH file Philosophy of the Hindus. 457 



criminal ; and 2)ains in hell, as for homicide, await the malevolent man who 

 thus practises against the life of his enemy. 



Another instance, discussed in the same chapter, is chitrd, applied to a 

 sacrifice performed for acquisition of cattle. It is questioned whether the 

 feminine termination, joined to the ordinary signification of the word, 

 indicates a female victim of a varied colour. It intends, however, an 

 offering termed various, as consisting of no less than six different articles : 

 honey, milk, curds, boiled butter, rice in the husk as well as clean, and 

 water.* 



In like manner, vdbhid is the name of a sacrifice directed to be per- 

 formed for the like purpose : that is, by a person desirous of possessing 

 cattle. The sense approaches to the etymology of the term : it is a cere- 

 mony "by which possession of cattle is, as it were, dug up." It does not 

 imply that some tool for delving, as a spade or hoe for digging up the earth, 

 is to be actually employed in the ceremony. 



A question of considerable interest, as involving the important one con- 

 cerning property in the soil in India, is discussed in the sixth lecture.t At 

 certain sacrifices, such as that which is called viswajif, the votary, for whose 

 benefit the ceremony is performed, is enjoined to bestow all his property on 

 the officiating priests. It is asked whether a paramount sovereign shall give 

 all the land, including pasture-ground, highways, and the site of lakes and 

 ponds ; an universal monarch, the whole earth ; and a subordinate prince, 

 the entire province over which he rules ? To that question the answer is : 

 the monarch has not property in the earth, nor the subordinate prince in the 

 land. By conquest kingly power is obtained, and property in house and 

 field which belonged to the enemy. The maxim of the law, that " the king 

 " is lord of all excepting sacerdotal wealth," concerns his authority for cor- 

 rection of the wicked and protection of the good. His kingly power is for 

 government of the realm and extirpation of wrong ; and for that purpose he 

 receives taxes from husbandmen, and levies fines from offenders. But right 

 of property is not thereby vested in him ; else he would have property 

 in house and land appertaining to the subjects abiding in his dominions. 

 The earth is not the king's, but is common to all beings enjoying the fruit 

 of their own labour. It belongs, says Jaimini, to all alike : therefore, 



Mint. I. 4. 3. f li. 6. 7. 2. 



3 O 2 



