Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 42
हीयमानो न शुद्धः स्यादिति धर्मविदो विदुः । शिक्यच्छेदे तुलाभंगे पुनरारोपयेन्नरम्
hīyamāno na śuddhaḥ syāditi dharmavido viduḥ | śikyacchede tulābhaṃge punarāropayennaram
ധർമ്മവിദർ അറിയുന്നു—ഭാരം കുറഞ്ഞാൽ അവൻ ശുദ്ധനല്ല. തുലയുടെ പാനിന്റെ കയർ മുറിഞ്ഞാലോ തുല തകർന്നാലോ, ആ മനുഷ്യനെ വീണ്ടും അതിൽ കയറ്റണം.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)
Scene: The balance tilts the other way; the accused appears anxious; a sling snaps or the beam cracks, prompting priests to halt and reset the ordeal for a proper retest.
FAQs
Dharma values reliability and due process; flawed instruments require repetition rather than hasty conclusions.
No tīrtha is named.
If the accused becomes lighter, he is not cleared; if the apparatus fails (strap cut/balance breaks), repeat by placing him again.