Sutra 4

Devanagari script

कूटमुद्रायां पूर्वः साहसदण्डः तिरोजनपदस्योत्तमः ॥ कZ_०२.३४.०४ ॥

Transliteration

kūṭamudrāyāṃ pūrvaḥ sāhasadaṇḍaḥ tirojanapadasyottamaḥ

Translation

في تزوير (الختم) الملكي تكون العقوبة هي غرامة الساهاسا (sāhasa) المذكورة سابقًا؛ أمّا من يزوّر ختمًا بقصد الدخول إلى بلدٍ آخر أو المرور فيه (بسلطة مزعومة) فتُوقَع عليه العقوبة القصوى.

Word by Word

• कूटमुद्रायाम्: in/with regard to a forged seal
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूटमुद्रा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी (अधिकरण)

• पूर्वः: the first (i.e., the lower/earlier grade)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; विशेषणम् (साहसदण्डः इत्यस्य)

• साहसदण्डः: the penalty prescribed for ‘sāhasa’ (violent/forcible offence)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; साहसस्य दण्डः

• तिरोजनपदस्य: of a foreign country/another realm
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिरोजनपद
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगानुसार), एकवचन, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध)

• उत्तमः: the highest (grade)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; विशेषणम् (साहसदण्डः इत्यस्य)

Entities Mentioned

• mudrā (seal)
• janapada (territory/state)
• daṇḍa (penalty)

More Details

FAQs

What administrative risk is Kautilya targeting by penalizing kūṭamudrā?

The risk that forged state authentication enables unauthorized movement, false orders, and cross-jurisdictional infiltration—undermining fiscal and security control.

Why is the penalty higher when the forgery facilitates entering another janapada?

Because it amplifies strategic harm: it enables espionage, desertion, illegal trade, and hostile penetration across borders, so deterrence must be maximal.