JUSTICE IN NEPAL. 13^ 



the wife returns all the ornaments, &c. given her by her husband, or if she 

 delays in so doing, the Mahan compels restitution of them. The wife is 

 then free to do as she wills ; but, still she is liable to fine (as all others are), 

 if she have had sexual commerce with one of lower caste than herself. 



If any Newdr commits adultery with a Neivdr woman, whose husband 

 is gone to Bhote, and the woman perform not pachuki then, supposing the 

 caste of the parties to be the same and no relationship within the prohibited 

 degrees to exist between them, they shall be fined in double the usual 

 amount, or one hundred and twenty* rupees : and then be suffered to go 

 free, unless the adulterer be within the prohibited degrees of relationship to 

 the adulteress. In that case he is put to death, or his whole property is 

 confiscated ; or his penis is cut off ; and every sort of indignity and hard- 

 ship heaped on him ; or he is let off with a fine proportioned to his means : 

 the punishment being increased or decreased according to the nearness or 

 otherwise of the relationship. 



All such an adulterer's relations are obliged to go through the whole 

 ceremonies of purification (prayas-chitta), paying all the allotted fees to 

 the DharmddhiJidi i. 



If the wife or daughter-in-law of a Brahman is defiled by a Kshatriya, 

 or other of lower degree, such an one (the male) is decapitated and all his 

 property confiscated. The Brahmain cannot regain her caste by perform- 

 ing prayascliitta, but falls into the caste of him who defiled her ; and so in 

 case of a female of the Kshatriya, Vaisya, or Siidra being defiled by a male 

 of lower degree. If a Sudra defile the daughter, &c. of a Vaisya, but his 

 caste be such that the Vaisya could take water from his hand, then the 

 Sudra is let off with heavy fines ; his life and property, for the rest, being 

 spared. But if the Sudra be so vile that the Vaisya could not lawfullyf 



* Here, as on all otber occasions, tliis is the fine awarded to be paid, but only half of 

 which actually is levied on the party. — H. 



t List of the vile classes from whom no one can take water to drink— 



Kassai, Kusalliah, Porya, Dhobe, Kami, Damai, Kulu, Chama-khalak, Phugan, Massal- 

 man, Sonar, Sarki, Sfc, — H. 



