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

FIRE ORDEAL 63
The mantras to be recited by the judge here before the fire in the iron
ball as invocation will be declared in ( the section on ) the procedure of the
rites Yājñavalkya ( II. 104-105 ) says
Oh fire, the purifier, thou movest within all beings , wise one, declare
like a witness the truth about me from out of sin or righteousness
When he ( the person performing ordeal ) has uttered these words, ( the
judge ) should place in both his hands the iron ball that weighs fifty
palas, that is even ( without edges ) and that glows red
Pitāmaha says
The king who is devoted to dharma or ( the judge ) appointed by him
taking hold of it ( the red-hot iron ball ) with a pair of tongs should
place it in his hands
*Nārada ( compare p 110 v 296 ) says
He ( the person undergoing ordeal ), being urged on by the judge and
holding in both his hands that (the red-hot ball), should stand in one circle
and then walk straight over the other seven circles ( so that he then
reaches the eighth )
Pitāmaha says
He should not walk hurriedly, but should go slowly and at ease. He
should not pass over circles nor should he plant his foot in the interven-
ing space ( i e he must plant his foot in such a way as to exactly cover
the diameter of each circle ) Having reached the eighth circle, the wise
man ( who performs the ordeal ) should throw ( the red-hot ball ) in the
9th circle
The ( red-hot iron ) ball is to be cast in the ninth circle covered with
grass, as the Kālikāpurāṇa says
He should go over seven circles measuring sixteen fingers each with
like intervals ( between the circles ), having gone ( to the eighth ) he
should throw ( the ball ) on green grass
Pitāmaha says :—
Then ( the judge ) should throw (rub) on, the hands (of the person per-
forming ordeal ) grains of rice or barley, when his hands are rubbed with
them without any hesitation and show no change ( or injury ) at the end
of the day, ( the judge ) should declare him to be innocent ( or to have
succeeded in the ordeal )
Kātyāyana says —
If the person charged loses his footing or suffers burns elsewhere than
in the proper place ( i. e on other parts of the body, not on the hands ),
*P. 73 ( text ).