स्वयमेव तु यौ दद्यान् मृतस्य प्रत्यनन्तरे । न स राज्ञाऽभियोक्तव्यो न निक्षेप्तुश्च बन्धुभिः ॥ १८६ ॥
But (a depositary) who of his own accord returns them to a near relative of a deceased (depositor), must not be harassed (about them) by the king or by the depositor’s relatives.
And (in doubtful cases) he should try to obtain that object by friendly means, without (having recourse to) artifice, or having inquired into (depositary’s) conduct, he should settle (the matter) with gentle means.
Such is the rule for obtaining back all those open deposits; in the case of a sealed deposit (the depositary) shall incur no (censure), unless he has taken out something.
चौरैर्हृतं जलेनोढमग्निना दग्धमेव वा । न दद्याद् यदि तस्मात् स न संहरति किं चन ॥ १८९ ॥
(A deposit) which has been stolen by thieves or washed away by water or burned by fire, (the bailee) shall not make it good, unless he took part of it (for himself).
निक्षेपस्यापहर्तारमनिक्षेप्तारमेव च । सर्वैरुपायैरन्विच्छेत्शपथैश्चैव वैदिकैः ॥ १९० ॥
Him who appropriates a deposit and him (who asks for it) without having made it, (the judge) shall try by all (sorts of) means, and by the oaths prescribed in the Veda.