Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 33.djvu/136

106 * 272. He should weigh the man on the northern side, and the stone on the southern side. There (in the southern scale) he should (place) a basket and fill it up with bricks, mud, and grains of sand. 273. In the first weighing, the weight (of the man) should be ascertained with the aid of experienced men, and the arch marked at that height which corresponds to the even position of the two scales. * 274. Goldsmiths, merchants, and skilful braziers experienced in the art of weighing, should inspect the beam of the balance. * 275. After having first weighed the man, and having made (on the arches) a mark for the beam, in order to show the (even) position of the scales, he should cause him to descend from the balance. * 276. After having admonished him with solemn imprecations he should cause the man to get into the scale again, after having fastened a writing on

273-275. Goldsmiths, merchants, braziers, and other persons familiar with the art of weighing, should ascertain whether the man and the equivalent are precisely equal in weight, and whether the beam of the balance is quite straight, by pouring some water (on the beam of the balance ?). A. According to the Pitâmaha-smriti, the water shall be poured on the beam of the balance. If it does not trickle down from the beam, the beam may be supposed to be straight The way in which the position of the scales and of the beam of the balance has to be marked on the two arches, may be gathered from the Yâgñavalkya-smriti, which ordains that a line shall be drawn (across the arches). 276. He should cause the man to get into the scale once more, after having reminded him of his good actions and of the pre-eminence of truth, having invoked the deities, and having fastened on his head a bill recounting the charge, and containing an imprecation. The whole proceeding must not take place in windy or rainy weather. A. The Vîramitrodaya and other compilations quote another text of Nârada, according to which no verdict should be given if the scales have been moved by the wind.