Sutra 3

Devanagari script

दण्डो हि महाजने क्षेप्तुमशक्यः ॥ कZ_०९.६.०३ ॥

Transliteration

daṇḍo hi mahājane kṣeptum aśakyaḥ

Translation

Punitive force (daṇḍa) cannot be indiscriminately ‘thrown’ upon the mass of people.

Word by Word

• दण्डः: punishment; the king’s coercive power (danda)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन

• हि: indeed; for
• Type: Particle
• Root: हि
• Form: निपात; हेत्वर्थे/निश्चयार्थे

• महाजने: among the great multitude / in the populace
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाजन
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-एकवचन (अधिकरणे)

• क्षेप्तुम्: to throw; to cast (away)
• Type: Verb (Infinitive)
• Root: क्षिप्
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive); परस्मैपदी धातु

• अशक्यः: impossible; not possible
• Type: Adjective (Kṛdanta)
• Root: शक्
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक शक्य (शक् + यत्); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (दण्डः ... अशक्यः)

Entities Mentioned

• daṇḍa
• mahājana

More Details

FAQs

What administrative principle is implied by ‘daṇḍa cannot be cast upon the masses’?

Coercion must be selective and legally/administratively targeted; collective punishment is operationally unworkable and politically destabilizing.