Pre-Buddhist India: A Political, Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey of Ancient India Based Mainly on the Jataka Stories c4.t6.86

c4.t6.86

There is a vague reference to fire-ordeal for the sake of proving the chastity of a woman,² but it does not seem that it was a prevalent system employed and supported by the government, as even Kauṭilya, though conversant with that institution as recommended by the law-books,³ does not mention it, evidently because he regarded such ordeals as questionable expedients.⁴