Sutra 23

Devanagari script

पाषण्डचण्डालानां श्मशानान्ते वासः ॥ कZ_०२.४.२३ ॥

Transliteration

pāṣaṇḍacaṇḍālānāṃ śmaśānānte vāsaḥ

Translation

Heretics/sectarians (pāṣaṇḍa) and caṇḍālas shall reside at the edge of the cremation ground.

Word by Word

• पाषण्डचण्डालानाम्: of the heretics and the outcastes (caṇḍālas)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाषण्ड; चण्डाल
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचनम् (समासान्तपदस्य); पुंलिङ्ग (चण्डाल) / सामान्य-प्रयोगः

• श्मशानान्ते: at the edge of the cremation ground
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्मशान; अन्त
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचनम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (श्मशान) — श्मशानस्य अन्ते

• वासः: residence/dwelling (is to be)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √वस् (निवासे)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; पुंलिङ्ग (वास)

Entities Mentioned

• pāṣaṇḍa
• caṇḍāla
• cremation ground edge (śmaśānānta)

More Details

FAQs

What administrative logic underlies placing certain groups at the city’s margins?

It concentrates monitoring, reduces perceived ritual/social friction within core residential areas, and uses boundary zones for policing and containment—though it also institutionalizes exclusion.