28 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Manu also deals with cases of witnesses giving false evidence. According to Manu giving false evidence is a crime, says Manu:—
VIII. 122. “Learned men have specified these punishments, which were ordained by sage legislators for perjured witnesses, with a view to prevent a failure of justice and to restrain iniquity.”
VIII. 123. “Let a just prince banish men of the three lower classes, if they give false evidence, having first levied the fine; but a Brahman let him only banish.
But Manu made one exception:—
VIII. 112. “To women, however, at a time of dalliance, or on a proposal of marriage, in the case of grass or fruit eaten by a cow, of wood taken for a sacrifice, or of a promise made for the preservation of a Brahman, it is deadly sin to take a light oath.”
As parties to proceedings—Their position can be illustrated by quoting the ordinances of Manu relating to a few of the important criminal offences dealt with by Manu.
Take the offence of Defamation. Manu says:—
VIII. 267. “A soldier, defaming a priest, shall be fined a hundred panas, a merchant, thus offending, an hundred and fifty, or two hundred; but, for such an offence, a mechanic or servile man shall be shipped.”
III. 268. “A priest shall be fined fifty, if he slander a soldier; twenty five, if a merchant; and twelve, if he slander a man of the servile class.” Take the offence of Insult—Manu says:—
VIII. 270. “A once born man, who insults the twice-born with gross invectives, ought to have his tongue slit; for he sprang from the lowest part of Brahma.”
VIII. 271. “If he mention their names and classes with contumely, as if he say,” Oh Devadatta, though refuse of Brahmin, “an iron style, ten fingers long, shall be thrust red into his mouth.”
VIII. 272. “Should he, through pride, give instruction to priests concerning their duty, let the king order some hot oil to be dropped into his mouth and his ear.”
Take the offence of Abuse—Manu says:—
VIII. 276. “For mutual abuse by a priest and a soldier, this fine must be imposed by a learned king; the lowest amercement on the priest, and the middle-most on the soldier.”
VIII. 277. “Such exactly, as before mentioned, must be the punishment a merchant and a mechanic, in respect of their several