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

ORDEAL OF FIRE 65
(expounders of Brahma); since thou dwellest in the stomach of all beings;
thou knowest the good and evil (that men do); thou art called pāvaka
(purifier) as thou cleansest out sin. Manifest thyself as regards sinners,
oh purifier, and send out thy flames, or oh Fire, become pure$^1$ as to those
whose minds are pure. Oh Fire, thou movest like a witness inside all
beings, thou alone knowest, oh god, what men do not know. This man,
accused of a wrong in a judicial proceeding, desires to be cleared (of it);
therefore thou wilt please save him from this suspicion according to the
(dictates of) dharma$^2$.
Tṛtīya-tāpaḥ (heating the third time) means 'in order to purify the
iron, throwing into water the iron ball that is well heated, again heating it
and throwing it into water, and then again heating it'. Having held by
means of a pair of tongs the iron ball that is well heated and so red-hot and
before which mantras have been recited as above, and having brought it in
front of the person performing the ordeal who has observed a fast, who has
bathed, whose garments are wet and on whose head is tied the writing em-
bodying the subject matter of dispute and who stands in the westernmost
circle, the judge should place it on the hands (of the person undergoing
ordeal) that have been purified (or treated in manner following) after the
person has recited by way of invocation the mantra.-
Thou, Oh Agni, Purifier, movest inside all beings; wise one! declare the
truth about me out of meritoriousness or sin (i. e. whether I am innocent
or sinful) like a witness$^3$.
The word 'kṛtasaṁskārayoḥ' (that have been purified) means 'that
are folded after grains of rice are rubbed over them, that are marked with
alaktaka (red dye) in places where there are dark *sesamum-like spots, wounds,
or hardened skin, that have placed in them seven leaves of Aśvattha of equal
length or in case the latter are not available, seven leaves of the Arka plant,
seven leaves of Śamī or of Dūrvā, sacred grains of rice, and also grains of
rice smeared with curds and flowers; and that (hands) are covered over
seven times with seven white threads. Then the person performing the
ordeal, planting his foot just on the circles (i e so as to exactly cover them)
from the second to the eighth and having thus walked slowly seven steps,
should cast the (red-hot) iron ball held in his folded hands on to the ninth
circle. Then after his hands are again rubbed with grains of rice, if they
are (found to be) unscorched, he is pure (innocent),
Here ends the method of the fire ordeal.

1. The reading of Mit. and Aparārka 'be cool' for 'be pure' is decidedly better.
2. The last two verses are Viṣṇudharmasūtra 11. 11-12.
3. This is Yāj. II. 104.
   *P. 76. (text).
   V. M. 9