Sutra 9

Devanagari script

तुलाहीने हीनाष्टगुणम् ॥ कZ_०२.२६.०९ ॥

Transliteration

tulāhīne hīnāṣṭaguṇam

Translation

If the weighing scale is deficient, the penalty is eight times the deficiency.

Word by Word

• तुला-हीने: in the absence of a balance / when the weighing scale is deficient
• Type: Noun + Adjective (compound)
• Root: तुला / हीन
• Form: समासपदम्; सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (अधिकरणे) — ‘तुलायां हीने’ इति; तुला (स्त्रीलिङ्ग) + हीन (कृदन्त/विशेषण)

• हीन: is reduced / is less
• Type: Adjective (used predicatively)
• Root: हीन
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; (नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे) विधेय-विशेषणम्; ‘(दण्डः/दण्डनम्) हीनम्’ इत्यर्थः

• अष्ट-गुणम्: by eight times / eightfold
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: गुण (with numeral अष्ट)
• Form: द्विगु-समासः; द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) — ‘अष्टगुणं (परिमाणम्)’ = eightfold (as a measure)

Entities Mentioned

• weighing scale
• market inspectors (implicit)

More Details

FAQs

Why use a multiplier (eightfold) rather than a flat fine?

A multiplier scales punishment to the magnitude of cheating, discouraging both petty and large-scale fraud while simplifying calculation for officials.