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Shloka 15

An exposition of varṇa-dharma as taught by Yājñavalkya

Devanagari script

सकृत्प्रदीयते कन्या हरंस्तां चोरदण्डभाक् / अदुष्टां हि त्यजन्दण्ड्यः सुदुष्टां तु परित्यजेत्

Transliteration

sakṛtpradīyate kanyā haraṃstāṃ coradaṇḍabhāk / aduṣṭāṃ hi tyajandaṇḍyaḥ suduṣṭāṃ tu parityajet

Translation

لا تُزوَّج الفتاة إلا مرة واحدة؛ ومن يختطفها ينل عقوبة السارق. حقًّا، من يهجر زوجةً بريئة يستحق العقاب؛ أمّا الزوجة شديدة الفساد فينبغي مفارقتها.

Word by Word
सकृत्once
सकृत्:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसकृत् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (once)
प्रदीयतेis given (in marriage)
प्रदीयते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-√दा (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (is given)
कन्याthe maiden
कन्या:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
हरन्taking away/abducting
हरन्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Root√हृ (धातु)
Formवर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
ताम्her
ताम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
चोरदण्डभाक्liable to the punishment of a thief
चोरदण्डभाक्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootचोर (प्रातिपदिक) + दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + भाज्/भज् (कृदन्त; ‘भाक्’ = possessor/recipient)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चोरस्य दण्डः) + उपपद-समास (दण्डं भाक् = liable to punishment)
अदुष्टाम्a blameless (girl)
अदुष्टाम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootअदुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नञ्-समास (not wicked)
हिindeed
हि:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निपात (indeed/for)
त्यजन्abandoning
त्यजन्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Root√त्यज् (धातु)
Formवर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
दण्ड्यःpunishable
दण्ड्यः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootदण्ड्य (प्रातिपदिक; gerundive/obligatory adj from √दण्ड्/दण्ड ‘to punish’)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (one who should be punished)
सुदुष्टाम्a very wicked (girl)
सुदुष्टाम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootसुदुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सु + दुष्ट = very wicked)
तुbut
तु:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विरोध/विभेदक निपात (but/however)
परित्यजेत्should abandon/renounce
परित्यजेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootपरि-√त्यज् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in dialogue with Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Marriage-giving is singular and protected; abduction is theft-like; abandoning an innocent spouse is punishable, while separation from a thoroughly wicked spouse is permitted.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as social-ethical order; discernment (viveka) in applying rules to protect the innocent and restrain harm.

Application: Respect marital consent and legal processes; do not desert faithful partners; where severe harm/immorality exists, pursue lawful separation with due process.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana dharma passages on marriage conduct and penalties (general parallel motifs)

FAQs

This verse frames marriage as a one-time sacred transfer (kanyā-dāna) and treats unlawful taking as a serious offense, emphasizing social and ethical order as part of dharma.

Indirectly, it links moral conduct—especially sexual and marital ethics—to culpability and punishment, a recurring Garuda Purana theme where adharma leads to suffering and karmic consequences.

Respect consent and lawful marriage norms; do not abandon a faithful partner unjustly, while recognizing that separation may be ethically justified in cases of severe harmful conduct.

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