Sutra 15

Devanagari script

पण्यानां स्थापयेच् शुक्लमत्ययं चापकारतः ॥ कZ_०२.२२.१५च्द् ॥

Transliteration

paṇyānāṃ sthāpayec śuklamatyayaṃ cāpakārataḥ

Translation

He should fix (the schedule of) penalties for merchandise, and also the ‘śukla’ penalty, in proportion to the harm/abuse committed.

Word by Word

• पण्यानाम्: of commodities / of saleable goods
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण्य
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचनम् (Gen. pl.), नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; ‘पण्य’ = विक्रययोग्य-वस्तु

• स्थापयेत्: he should establish / fix
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (स्थापयति)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ्-रूपम् (optative/imperative sense) परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम्; causative (णिच्) ‘स्थापयेत्’ = ‘cause to be set/establish’

• शुक्लम्: the pure (standard) / purity
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: शुक्ल
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; ‘शुक्ल’ = शुद्ध/निर्मल

• अत्ययम्: loss / deterioration / excess (as applicable)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अत्यय
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; ‘अत्यय’ = अतिक्रम/अतिव्यय/हानि/दोष (context-dependent)

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• अपकारतः: from harm / due to harmful acts
• Type: Noun (ablatival adverbial use)
• Root: अपकार
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनम् (Abl. sg.), पुंलिङ्गः; हेतौ/कारणे प्रयोगः = ‘अपकारात्’

Entities Mentioned

• merchandise (paṇya)
• śukla (technical levy/penalty category)

More Details

FAQs

What is the policy logic of ‘apakārataḥ’ (according to harm)?

It embeds proportionality: the state’s monetary sanction scales with the social/economic damage, improving fairness and deterrence.