1866.] On Ordeals. 39 



and joining them, in marking the hlack and red spots, the wonnds and 

 weals in them and the like with lack-juice and the like, in placing in 

 them seven equal Acvattha-leaves, or (on failure of them) seven Arka 

 leaves, or seven Qami-leaves or seven Diirva-leaves, rice grains, i. e. rice- 

 grains wetted with whey and flour, and in tying up (the whole) seven 

 times with seven white threads. Then the person who undergoes the 

 ordeal, should walk through the circles, beginning with the second and 

 ending with the eighth, and having thus made seven steps, throw the 

 iron-hall, which he holds in his joined hands, into the ninth circle. 



Then he should again crush rice (in his hands), and if his hands are 

 not burnt he is innocent. * 



Now follows (the rule for the ordeal by) water. 



Pitamaha (says) : 



'• Now I will declare the rule (for the ordeal) by water, the eternal law. 

 A wise (judge) should order to be made a place (purified by the 

 application of cow-dung), then he should devoutly worship arrows with 

 lamps and incense, and a bow made of bamboo, with auspicious flowers 

 and incense, and afterwards perform the ordeal." 



The construction is ; " he should worship the arrows with lamps 

 and flowers." 



The worship must take place in the (purified) space. 



Narada describes the size of the bow : 



" The strong bow ought to be understood to be one hundred and 

 seven fingers long, (the bow of) middling (strength) one hundred and 

 six, and the weak bow one hundred and five ; this is the rule regard- 

 ing the bow. But let a wise (judge) shoot three arrows with the 

 bow of middling (strength), having made a target at the distance of 

 one hundred and fifty hastas. 



Saptacatam (lit. seven hundred) means one hundred and seven fingers 

 long. In the same manner must be interpreted the expressions shat- 

 catam (six and hundred), pancac^tain (five and hundred). 



Katyayana (says) : 



"And he should make the arrows (used) at the ordeal without iron 

 tops, only consisting of a piece of bamboo ; but the bow-man should 

 shoot strongly." 



Narada (says) : 



"But going to a place full of water, he should make an arch, as 



