Sutra 4

Devanagari script

लक्षितमल्पं वा चतुर्भागमर्धकुडुबं कुडुबमर्धप्रस्थं प्रस्थं वेति ज्ञातशौचा निर्हरेयुः ॥ कZ_०२.२५.०४ ॥

Transliteration

lakṣitam alpaṃ vā caturbhāgam ardha-kuḍubaṃ kuḍubam ardha-prasthaṃ prasthaṃ veti jñāta-śaucā nirhareyuḥ

Translation

They should issue (liquor) only in recognized standard small measures—one-fourth, half-kuḍuba, kuḍuba, half-prastha, or a prastha—by attendants whose cleanliness and reliability are known.

Word by Word

• लक्षितम्: the marked/standard (measure)
• Type: Participle (Verbal adjective)
• Root: लक्ष्
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; (लक्ष् + क्त) ‘marked/indicated’

• अल्पम्: small; lesser (quantity)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय

• चतुर्भागम्: a quarter (one-fourth)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग
• Form: चतुर्भाग-; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘चार भागों में से एक’ (quarter)

• अर्धकुडुबम्: half a kuduba
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुडुब
• Form: अर्ध- + कुडुब; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘आधा कुडुब’

• कुडुबम्: a kuduba (a standard measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुडुब
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक संज्ञा

• अर्धप्रस्थम्: half a prastha
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्थ
• Form: अर्ध- + प्रस्थ; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘आधा प्रस्थ’

• प्रस्थम्: a prastha (a standard measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्थ
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक संज्ञा

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय

• इति: thus; as follows
• Type: Particle
• Root: इति
• Form: उद्धरण/निश्चयार्थक अव्यय; विकल्पसूची-समापन

• ज्ञातशौचाः: those whose cleanliness/trustworthiness has been ascertained
• Type: Noun (bahuvrihi adjective)
• Root: ज्ञा; शौच
• Form: ज्ञात- (क्त, ‘known/ascertained’) + शौच (n. ‘purity/cleanliness’); बहुव्रीहिः; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; ‘येषां शौचं ज्ञातम्’

• निर्हरेयुः: should take out / should issue (from stores)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्हृ
• Form: लिङ् (विधिलिङ्); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; धातु: हृ ‘to take/carry’ उपसर्ग: निर्; अर्थ: ‘they should take out/remove/issue’

Entities Mentioned

• kuḍuba (measure)
• prastha (measure)
• attendants/dispensers

More Details

FAQs

What administrative mechanism is being enforced through fixed measures?

Standardized dispensing to prevent short-measure fraud, stabilize pricing/taxation, and simplify auditing.

Why specify 'jñātaśaucā' dispensers?

To reduce contamination and corruption by staffing sensitive points of sale with vetted, accountable personnel.