Page:History of India Vol 1.djvu/199

 LAW, ASTRONOMY, AND LEARNING

HE punishment of criminals and the proper administration of laws are foundations on which all civilized societies are built, and no nobler concept of the law has ever been discovered than that formulated by the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad in the words: "Law is the power of the kingdom, nor is there aught higher than the law. Therefore even a weak man rules a stronger with the help of the law as with the help of a king. Thus the law is what is called the true. And if a man declares what is true, they say he declares the law; and if he declares the law, they say he declares what is true. Thus both are the same."

The judicial procedure was still crude, however, and, as among other ancient nations, criminals were often tried by the ordeal of fire.

"They bring a man hither whom they have taken by the hand, and they say: 'He has taken something, he has committed theft.' (When he denies, they say) 'Heat the hatchet for him.' If he committed the theft, then he grasps the heated hatchet, he is burnt, and he is killed. But if he did not commit the theft, then he Rh