Sutra 29

Devanagari script

भैषज्यव्याधिभयनिमित्तमदण्ड्याः ॥ कZ_०२.३६.२९ ॥

Transliteration

bhaiṣajya-vyādhi-bhaya-nimittam adaṇḍyāḥ

Translation

Those acting due to medical treatment, illness, or fear (as the cause) are not to be fined.

Word by Word

• भैषज्य: medicine; medical treatment
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिषज् (→ भैषज्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• व्याधि: disease; illness
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याधि
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• भय: fear; panic
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• निमित्त: cause; occasion; pretext
• Type: Noun
• Root: नि√मि (→ निमित्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• अदण्ड्याः: not punishable; exempt from punishment
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: दण्ड्य (from दण्ड) with privative अ-
• Form: नञ्-तत्पुरुष (अ-दण्ड्य); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; विधेय (predicate)

Entities Mentioned

• sick persons
• persons under treatment
• enforcers/judges

More Details

FAQs

What principle of governance is expressed by these exemptions?

Context-sensitive enforcement: penalties require culpability and practical alternatives; necessity and incapacity mitigate or remove liability.

How does this support administrative legitimacy?

By preventing visibly unjust punishment, the state preserves compliance and trust while still enforcing general rules.