Q uotable · Part 2

bodies. Extreme cases like treason were tried in the king’s court. There was no regular system of jurisprudence or judicial procedures. Most often the accused was to prove his innocence either through evidences and witnesses or through subjection to different kinds of ordeals such as ordeal by fire, ordeal by water and ordeal by poison. Punishments (penal system) was severe and even barbaric if blood money was in vogue (less was to be replaced with material compensation)- Whipping, flogging, amputation of limbs, impalement, rigorous imprisonment, enslavement, banishment, confiscation of property, beheading, hanging and trampling by elephants were some of the punishments meted out to the culprits. In kingdoms which came under Brahmanical influence, smritis were invoked in trial as well as in awarding punishments. There were a number of smritis such as Manusmrit, Narada Smriti, and Yagnavakya Smritis : of which Manu Smriti was held as a core Smriti, other smritis had certain variatious. The Smritis generally upheld the graded varna – Jati social order. There was no ‘equality before law’ concept. Brahmins were mostly insulated from regular procedures and regular punishments. On any account, Brahmins, even if they committed the most heinous crimes, were to be exempted from physical torture, amputation, impalement or capital punishment. On the other hand the depressed castes were subjected to such as India as it also acts as a protector of the federation resolving the conflicts of jurisdiction between the Centre and the States.