Verses 740–749

740. At an (hour when all the people of the village come along with him, with appropriate observances with a drawn sword, let him walk separately and lay down the land mark with care.

741. Behind the man while he is digging the boundary, let the opposite dig an opposite bound and let all the chief men give him their blessings.

742. Let a farmer who is void of even the least deceit quickly and without timidity walk on the track of his feet, and let the good and chief men who know the fact also walk it.

743. The (jewel of calculators) good accountant who takes a pole thirty two feet long, places it and measures it; let him receive the blessings of the people and live in virtue.

744. The writing of the excellent man who measures the land leaving on each side of the measuring pole six steps as long as a cow's foot steps (unapportioned to either), that writing will be stable and able to reply even to the writing of fate.

745. Those men who cause the land to be measured (colva cheyu) with arithmetical standard of the pole and the rod and with skill know to supportion the compensation of the foot (measure of a bow's foot allowed on each side as verse 744). These are arithmeticians.

746. The use of having eyes is that he may know the quality of the field and the fitness of the tenant. If when he measureth, he regard not the rules of calculation, but does it hastily in the space of a twinkling of the eye, he shall depart void of male offspring.

747. He who knows the due shares of the crop and the fruitfulness of the lands, well versed in equity, suitable council (lit. contrivance), who knows the due division of shares pertaining to the government and the farmer, and on his guard against sin (injustice), he who knows also how to write all his is the chief (lit. jewel) of men.

748. The measurements of tanks and ponds, the measurement used in fields and small plots the measurement along boundaries without hindrance--to know the rules for these is a victory.

749. All those debased ones, who not recognising equity, measure the earth with a pole and over-reach in the measurement--these shall in the transmigration be born as leeches (the irregular floundering pace of which resembles their careless measurement.)