Sutra 15

Devanagari script

गृहीत्वा वेतनं कर्माकुर्वत्या अङ्गुष्ठसंदंशं दापयेत्भक्षितापहृतावस्कन्दितानां च ॥ कZ_०२.२३.१५ ॥

Transliteration

gṛhītvā vetanaṃ karmākurvatyā aṅguṣṭhasaṃdaṃśaṃ dāpayet bhakṣitāpahṛtāvaskanditānāṃ ca

Translation

A worker who takes wages but does not perform the work shall be made to pay the aṅguṣṭha-saṃdaṃśa penalty; and there shall be penalty/compensation also for goods that are consumed, stolen, or carried off in a raid.

Word by Word

• गृहीत्वा: having taken/received
• Type: Verb (Gerund)
• Root: ग्रह् (गृही- कृदन्त-आधार)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (पूर्वकालिक क्रिया); धातु: ग्रह्; अर्थ: ‘ग्रहणं कृत्वा’

• वेतनम्: wages, remuneration
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेतन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया (कर्म)

• कर्म: work, duty
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया (कर्म)

• अकुर्वत्या: by/for a woman who does not do (the work)
• Type: Verb (Participle used adjectivally)
• Root: कृ
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त: शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय (स्त्रीलिङ्ग रूप); ‘अकुर्वती’ = न कुर्वती; तृतीया एकवचन (करण/हेतु/सह)

• अङ्गुष्ठ-संदंशम्: thumb-screw / thumb-pincer (instrument of punishment)
• Type: Noun (Compound)
• Root: अङ्गुष्ठ + संदंश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; ‘अङ्गुष्ठस्य संदंशः’

• दापयेत्: should cause (it) to be inflicted/paid
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दापयति)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोजक (causative) प्रयोग; विधिलिङ्/लोट्-भावार्थ (आज्ञा/विधान); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• भक्षित-अपहृत-अवस्कन्दितानाम्: of those (cases/items/persons) that are consumed, stolen, or carried off by assault/raid
• Type: Noun (Compound; participial adjectives used substantively)
• Root: भक्ष् + अप-हृ + अव-स्कन्द्
• Form: षष्ठी बहुवचन; ‘भक्षिताः अपहृताः अवस्कन्दिताः’ इत्येषां (जनानां/वस्तूनां)

• च: and; also
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

Entities Mentioned

• worker/laborer
• state enforcement officer (implicit)
• property/goods under custody (implicit)

More Details

FAQs

What is the governance logic behind penalizing a worker who takes wages but does not work?

It treats wage-taking as acceptance of an obligation; non-performance becomes a punishable breach, protecting the treasury/employer from shirking and ensuring reliability of labor supply.