The Minor Law Books (SBE33), by Julius Jolly, [1889], at sacred-texts.com
The Minor Law Books (SBE33), by Julius Jolly, [1889], at sacred-texts.com
* 1. 1 Dishonest gambling with dice, small slices of leather, little staves of ivory, or other (games), and betting on birds, form (the subject of) a title of law called (Gambling with Dice and Betting on Animals).
* 2. 2 The master of the gaming-house shall arrange
the game and pay the stakes which have been won; the profit of such a conductor of games shall amount to ten per cent.
3. 3 When the dice on being thrown fall twice in a game at dice, those acquainted with (playing at) dice allot the victory to the adversary and the defeat to the gambler.
4. 4 When a dispute has arisen among gamblers, let (other) gamblers be appealed to; they shall act both as judges and as witnesses in a dispute of this sort.
5. No gambler shall ever enter into another gaming-house before having paid his debt; he must not disobey the master of the gaming-house, and must pay of his own accord what he owes to him.
* 6. 6 Wicked men who play with false dice shall be driven out of the gaming-house, after a wreath of dice has been hung round their necks; for that is the punishment ordained for them.
7. 7 If a man gambles with dice, without authorization from the king, he shall not get his stake, and shall have to pay a fine.
* 8. Or let the gamblers pay to the king the share
due to him and play in public, thus no wrong will be committed.
212:1 XVII, 1. The translation is according to the Vîramitrodaya. The subject of bets on animals is treated at great length in the Dhammathats of Burma, which are based on the law-codes of India. 'Other games,' such as e.g. Katuraṅga (Shatrañg, the Indian chess). 'Birds,' such as pigeons, also bets on professional wrestlers, rams, &c. Vîramitrodaya, p. 718. Manu IX, 223.
212:2 'He shall pay the stakes which have been won,' i.e. to the p. 213 winning party. That portion which has to be paid to the king (see paragraph 8) may also be held to be included in this rule, as Brihaspati says: 'Let the master of the gaming-house collect the stakes and pay his due to the winning party and to the king.' Âpastamba II, 10, 25, 12, 13; Yâgñavalkya II, 199, 200.
213:3 The rendering of the first portion of this paragraph is conjectural. It might also be translated as follows: 'When the dice on being thrown fall twice repeated,' i.e. when the number is twice as high as at the preceding throw.
213:4 Yâgñavalkya II, 202.
213:6 Yâgñavalkya II, 202.
213:7 7, 8. Yâgñavalkya II, 201, 203. Paragraphs 7 and 8 are omitted in the Nepalese MS.