History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.419

v4.c63.419

*Ordeal of taptamāṣa* (heated piece of gold). In a vessel of copper, iron or clay sixteen aṅgulas in diameter and four aṅgulas deep, the judge should get twenty palas of ghee and oil poured and heat it to the boiling point. Then the judge should cast into it a golden piece weighing one māṣaka (equal to five guñjās). The *śodhya* should take out the heated golden piece with the thumb and the next two fingers. If he does not jerk his fingers or there is no scalded skin he should be declared to be innocent. There is another method. Cow's ghee should be poured in a vessel of gold, silver, copper, iron or clay and it should be heated to the boiling point so that when a green leaf is cast into it the sound '*churu*' is produced. Into the boiling ghee he should cast a golden, silver, copper or iron seal ring once washed. Then he should invoke the ghee with this mantra ‘O ghee! thou art the holiest thing in sacrifices, thou art nectar; burn him (the śodhya) if he is a sinner; be cool as ice if he be innocent.’ Then the śodhya takes out the ring from the boiling ghee. If there are no marks of scalding on his forefinger he is innocent.