व्यवहारमयूख (नीलकण्ठ भट्ट - पश्चिमी भारत की हिन्दू न्याय-संहिता एवं व्यवहार कोष)

KOS'A ORDEAL - 71
Having washed the weapons of that deity to whom the person charged
is devoted, he should be made to drink three handfuls of that water.
Nārada ( p 262 v. 81 ) says :
Having summoned the person charged and having placed him in a
( cowdunged ) circle facing the Sun, ( the judge ) should make him, who has
taken a bath, whose garments are wet and who is pure, drink three handfuls
( of holy water ) according to the ritual described before ( as common
to all ordeals ).
Nārada ( p 262 v 82 ) says ;
Having worshipped that deity ( to whom the person charged is devoted )
and having washed ( the image of that deity ) with water and having re-
peated ( before the deity ) his wrong-doing, ( the judge ) should make him
drink three handfuls ( of the holy water ).
Here having observed a fast ( the previous day ), having in the forenoon
worshipped the deity ( that is a favourite with the person undergoing the
ordeal ), having taken the water used in bathing the ( image of the ) deity,
having performed ( all the details ) from the invocation of dharma and ending
with the placing of the writing on the head, the judge should invoke that
water with the mantra that is given in ( the section on ) the water ordeal.
The person performing the ordeal also having recited the mantra by way of
invocation as stated in the same ( section ) should swallow ( the water ).
Bṛhaspati ( p 318 v. 24 ) says .
There is no doubt that if no misfortune is seen to visit him ( who
performs the kos'a ordeal ) or his son, wife and wealth within a week or
within two weeks ( from the day of the ordeal ), he is innocent ¹
*Now ( begins ) the method of ( the ordeal of ) rice.
Here Pitāmaha says
I shall declare the method of grains of rice about which information
is conveyed in ( works ) defining it Grains of rice are to be given
( as ordeal ) in theft and in no other case²; this is settled Grains of rice
( S'āli ) and of no other corn should be made white ( i e unhusked ) ( The
judge ) should place, himself being purified, those ( grains of rice ) before
the ( image of the ) Sun in an earthen vessel, mix them with the water in
which the image of the Sun is bathed and keep them there ( i e immersed
in that water ) for that night, having first of all performed on that night
according to the s'āstra the rites beginning with the invocation ( of dharma
and other deities ).

1. Compare Yāj. 2. 113 and Viṣṇu. Dh S XIV 4-5. The period of seven days
   applied to light offences.
2. This is only illustrative. It only means that this ordeal was employed only
   where the disputes related to money.

• P. 83 ( text ).