अध्याय २५५
श्लोक 1
सीमाविवादादिनिर्णयः अग्निर् उवाच सीम्नो विवादे क्षेत्रस्य सामन्ताः स्थविरा गणाः ।गोपाः सीमाकृषाणा ये सर्वे च वनगोचराः
sīmāvivādādinirṇayaḥ agnir uvāca sīmno vivāde kṣetrasya sāmantāḥ sthavirā gaṇāḥ / gopāḥ sīmākṛṣāṇā ye sarve ca vanagocarāḥ
हिन्दी अर्थ
तथा जो कोई बहाना बनाकर किसी विवादास्पद वस्तुका क्रय-विक्रय करता है-इन सबपर पण्यवस्तुके मूल्यसे आठगुना दण्ड लगाना चाहिए । यदि संघबद्ध होकर काम करनेवालोंमेंसे कोई
English
Those who are not suitable to be witnesses are women, old men, children, cheats, intoxicated, lunatics, injured, actors, heretics, men of the writer caste, those having defective sense organs, those that take food from degraded persons, relatives or friends or enemies (of the persons contesting the dispute) and thieves. All people arc deemed to be witnesses in cases of thefts, violence and rashness. A virtuous man accepted by both the parties may be a witness. A person that refuses to answer the questions relating to a loan in which (interest) at the rate of ten per cent (has been allowed) should be made by the king to pay the full amount (together with interest) within fortysix days. The vilest person that does not depose the facts even though he is aware of them, is (considered) as equivalent to the sins of false witnesses and is also liable for similar punishment.