Verse 8.108 [After-effects of Giving Evidence]

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

यस्य दृश्येत सप्ताहादुक्तवाक्यस्य साक्षिणः ।
रोगोऽग्निर्ज्ञातिमरणं ऋणं दाप्यो दमं च सः ॥ १०८ ॥

yasya dṛśyeta saptāhāduktavākyasya sākṣiṇaḥ |
rogo'gnirjñātimaraṇaṃ ṛṇaṃ dāpyo damaṃ ca saḥ || 108 ||

That witness,—who may be found, within a week of having given evidence, to suffer from sickness, fire or the death of a relative,—should be made to pay the debt and also the penalty.—(108)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Saptāhāt,’ ‘within a week,’—the use of the Ablative implies that the proposition ‘before’ is understood. That is, on anyone of the seven days, after he has given evidence, if the witness is found to suffer from sickness, it implies that he has been adjudged by destiny to be a perjuror, and hence he should be punished in accordance with the aforesaid rule.

‘Illness’ stands for any kind of acute suffering;—‘fire’ for the burning of cattle and conveyances;—and ‘death of a relative’ for the death of the son or the wife or some other near relative;—all these being indicative of his having given false evidence.—(108)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

Nandana is again misrepresented by Hopkins.

This verse is quoted in Mitākṣarā (on 2.80.)

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Yājñavalkya (2.113).—‘If a man suffers no calamity, arising either from the King or from some supernatural force, within fourteen days (of his deposition), he should undoubtedly be regarded as pure (honest).’

Nārada (Aparārka, p. 715).—‘If the man suffers some calamity after the lapse of two weeks, he shall not be accused on that account (of dishonesty).’

Viṣṇu (14.4-5).—‘He to whom any calamity happens within a fortnight or three weeks—such as an illness, or fine, or death of a relative, or a heavy visitation by the King,—should be known to be dishonest,—otherwise, he should be known as honest.’

Pitāmaha (Aparārka, p. 715).—‘If within three days, or seven days, or two weeks, some calamity befalls the man, he should be regarded as a sinner. If he alone, and none other, should suffer from illness, or death of a relative, or fine, this would be an indication of his sin.’