2 LEGAL PROCEDURE
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TOPIC 16:
SEALED DEPOSITS
When someone handsovertoanotherpersonan article 67
placedwithina box without itisa sealed
it,
disclosing
anditshould
deposit, intheverysame
be returned
manner.29
He shouldnotbe forcedtopay restitutionwhen it
has 68
beentakenaway by the king,by an actofgod,orby
If
thieves.thelosshappenedafter thepledgehad
beenrequestedandnotreturned, thenhe shouldbe
made topay restitution,
as wellas a fine
equaltoit.30
If
he usestheproceedsfromthepledgeofhisown accord, 69
he shouldbe fined
and forcedtoreturn italong
withthe earnings.
Thisruleappliesalsotowhat is
solicited, toa third
to what has been entrusted party,
toconsignments,andtoopen deposits.
2 ||LEGAL PROCEDURE
TOPIC 17:
WITNESSES
Individualswho aregiventoascetictoil,areinclinedtogift70-71
giving,come fromdistinguishedfamilies,speakthe
truth,placedharma attheforefront,areupright, have
sons,and possesswealth--aminimum ofthreesuch
individuals inrites
who delight associated withthe
fivesacrifices
arerecognizedaswitnesses, eachwith
respecttopersonsofthe same casteor class,orelseall
withrespecttopersonsofall castesand classes.31
A woman, an oldperson,a child,
a gambler, a drunkard, 72-73
a mad person,
a heinoussinner, an actor,
a person
belongingtoa heretical
sect,a forger,
an individual
withimpaired organs,a personfallenfromcaste,
someone closetothelitigants,someone witha stake
inthelawsuit, orenemy ofthelitigants,
an associate
a thief,
a violent apersonofill
individual, repute,
and an extremeascetic-these
arenotqualified
tobe
witnesses.
When approvedbybothparties, personwho
evena single 74
knows dharma isqualified
tobe a witness.
Anyone
tobe awitnessincasesrelating
isqualified tosexual
crimesand totheft,
assault,
andviolence.32
When a man fails
togivetestimony,on theforty-sixth
day 75
the kingshouldforcehimtopay theentiredebtalong
witha penaltyofone-tenththeamount.33
Thatvilest
ofmen who,although he knowsthe facts,
does 76
notprovide
testimony isequal with
tofalsewitnesses
toboththe sinsand thepunishment.
respect
139
2 |
LEGAL PROCEDURE
When thewitnesseshave come intothepresenceofthe 77-78
plaintiff
and defendant,he shouldmake them give
testimony,
saying:«Theworldsthatawaitthosewho
commit sinscausinglossofcaste,
as wellas those
who committhegrievoussinscausinglossofcaste;34
theworldsthatawaitarsonistsand slayersofwomen
and children-all
thoseworldswilla man obtain who
givesfalse
testimony.
Whatevergooddeedyou haveperformedoverhundreds 79
oflifetimes,
all you shouldknow,will
that, go tothe
man whom youdefeat by yourfalsetestimony."
When witnessesareindisagreement,thetestimony of 80
themajority shouldbe accepted;
when theyare
equallydivided,thetestimonyofqualitywitnesses;
when qualitywitnessesareindisagreement,the
testimony supportedby thosewithsuperiorqualities.
The personwhose plaint
thewitnesses affirm
tobe true 81
isthevictor,
whereaswhen theystateotherwise, that
defeat.
certain
personsuffers
Evenafter
thewitnesseshavegiventheir if
testimony, 82
withsuperior
otherwitnesses qualities
ordouble
theoriginal
number stateotherwise,
thentheearlier
witnesses
aredeemed false.
The personwho subornedperjury,aswellas the 83
shouldbe fined
witnesses, individuallytwicethe
ifitisa Brahman,he should
amountunderlitigation;
be sentintoexile.
141
2 || LEGAL PROCEDURE
When a personwho hasbeenproducedto givetestimony 84
byeitherparty,engulfed disavowsit,
by delusion, he
shouldbe made topay eighttimestheamount;ifitisa
Brahman,however,he shouldbe sentintoexile.
One may,however,givefalse
testimonyinacase where 85
a personofanupperclassissubject
toexecution.
that,
Toexpiate twice-born
individuals
shouldoffer
ofmilkrice
an oblation dedicatedtoSarasvati,
the
goddessofspeech.
