Bkutdia Pdndya. 



151 



wedded to another person. He also said that if she be 

 found to be pregnant in the absence of her husband, she 

 may be placed in the keeping of her paramour provided he 

 be of superior caste, or wedded to him, provided he be of the 

 same caste (with her), or if he is of an inferior caste, she 

 may be abandoned, fined and joined to such caste. 



4. If. after such girl have brought forth three or four 

 children subsequently to her marriage, the husband goes to 

 another country, she cannot be wedded to another person. If 

 she had had connection with a person of equal caste and 

 proved to be pregnant before the return of her husband, she 

 cannot be wedded. If in such case, the person be of an 

 inferior caste she should be abandoned (excommunicated.) 



5. Bhutalapandya recorded a rule to the following effect. 

 If a married girl find her husband to be an adulterer, and 

 if the latter find the former to be an adulteress, and 

 so if the husband take her and deliver her over to her 

 parents' house, she may be wedded to another person. If 

 the husband will not have her again and take care of her 

 on receiving another woman into his keeping, the members 

 of her family may send for her from her husband and 

 wed her to another person. Moreover, if (the husband) 

 tease the wife by striking and abusing her as he likes, a re- 

 conciliation may be effected between them three or four 

 times ; but should there be a recurrence of disagreement 

 among them even afterwards, the members of her family 

 may send for her from her husband and get her wedded to 

 another person. 



6. If a girl shall arrive at puberty before marriage and 

 become pregnant before marriage, such girl, as well as the 

 person that caused such pregnancy, should be fined, and the 

 girl may be given into the keeping of that person if 

 he be of superior caste, or married to him if he be of the 

 same caste ; or abandoned if he be of an inferior caste ; as 

 declared by Bhutalapanclya. 



7. If a girl who arrived at puberty as aforesaid takes any 

 body before her marriage and elopes with him, she may 

 be married to him if he be of the same caste with her, or 

 abandoned if he be of an inferior caste, or be allowed to be 

 kept by him if he be of superior caste ; as ruled by Bhuta- 

 lap$ndya. 



8. If a married girl leaves her husband and takes another 

 of the same caste with her and elopes with him ; she may 



