Sutra 16

Devanagari script

स्वयं हन्ता घातयिता हर्ता हारयिता च वध्यः ॥ कZ_०२.२९.१६ ॥

Transliteration

svayaṃ hantā ghātayitā hartā hārayitā ca vadhyaḥ

Translation

The one who kills with his own hand, the instigator who has it killed, the thief who takes, and the one who causes it to be taken—all are liable to capital punishment.

Word by Word

• स्वयम्: personally; oneself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्
• Form: अव्यय; ‘स्वतः/स्वयमेव’ इत्यर्थे

• हन्ता: the killer (one who kills)
• Type: Noun (agent noun)
• Root: हन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; कर्तरि तृच् (तृन्) प्रत्ययान्त ‘हन्तृ’ = हन्ता

• घातयिता: one who causes (another) to kill; instigator
• Type: Noun (agent noun)
• Root: घातय् (घातयति) < √हन् (णिच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; कर्तरि तृच् (तृन्) प्रत्ययान्त; causative-agent: ‘one who causes killing’

• हर्ता: the taker; robber; thief
• Type: Noun (agent noun)
• Root: हृ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; कर्तरि तृच् (तृन्) प्रत्ययान्त ‘हर्तृ’ = हर्ता

• हारयिता: one who causes (another) to take away; instigator of theft
• Type: Noun (agent noun)
• Root: हारय् (हारयति) < √हृ (णिच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; कर्तरि तृच् (तृन्) प्रत्ययान्त; causative-agent: ‘one who causes taking away’

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

• वध्यः: is to be executed; punishable by death
• Type: Adjective (predicative)
• Root: वध्‍य (from √वध/√हन्; ‘to be killed’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (भाव्य/यत्-प्रत्ययार्थः): ‘वध्‍य’ = ‘to be executed/liable to be killed’

Entities Mentioned

• principal offender
• abettor/instigator

More Details

FAQs

What legal doctrine is reflected by punishing instigators alongside direct actors?

Parity of liability for abetment: the state targets the entire criminal chain—planner, procurer, and executor—to strengthen deterrence.