PHILOSOPHY OF HINDUISM 29
classes, except the slitting of the tongue; this is a fixed rule of punishment.”
Take the offence of Assault—Manu propounds:—
VIII. 279. “With whatever member a low-born man shall assault or hurt a superior, even that member of his must be slit, or cut more or less in proportion to the injury; this is an ordinance of Manu.”
VIII. 280. “He who raises his hand or a staff against another, shall have his hand cut; and he, who kicks another in wrath, shall have an incision made in his foot.”
Take the offence of Arrogance—According to Manu:—
VIII. 281. “A man of the lowest class, who shall insolently place himself on the same seat with one of the highest, shall either be banished with a mark on his hinder parts, or the king, shall cause a gash to be made on his buttock.”
VIII. 282. “Should he spit on him through price, the king shall order both his lips to be gashed; should he urine on him, his penis: should he break wing against him, his anus.”
VIII. 283. “If he seize the Brahman by the locks, or by the feet, or by the beard, or by the throat, or by the scrotum, let the king without hesitation cause incisions to be made in his hands.” Take the offence of Adultery. Says Manu:—
VIII. 359. “A man of the servile class, who commits actual adultery with the wife of a priest, ought to suffer death; the wives, indeed, of all the four classes must ever be most especially guarded.”
VIII. 366. “A low man, who makes love to a damsel of high birth, ought to be punished corporally; but he who addresses a maid of equal rank, shall give the nuptial present and marry her, if her father please.”
VIII. 374. “A mechanic or servile man, having an adulterous connection with a woman of a twice-born class, whether guarded at home or unguarded, shall thus be punished; if she was unguarded, he shall lose the part offending, and his whole substance; if guarded, and a priestless, every thing, even his life.”
VIII. 375. “For adultery with a guarded priestess, a merchant shall forfeit all his wealth after imprisonment for a year; a soldier shall be fined a thousand panas, and he be shaved with the urine of an ass.”
VIII. 376. “But, if a merchant or soldier commit adultery with a woman of the sacredotal class, whom her husband guards not at home, the king shall only fine the merchant five hundred, and the soldier a thousand;”