Sutra 14

Devanagari script

प्रकीर्णकं तु याचितकावक्रीतकाहितकनिक्षेपकाणां यथादेशकालमदाने यामच्छायासमुपवेशसंस्थितीनां वा देशकालातिपातने गुल्मतरदेयं ब्राह्मणं साधयतः प्रतिवेशानुवेशयोरुपरि निमन्त्रणे च द्वादशपणो दण्डः ॥ कZ_०३.२०.१४ ॥

Transliteration

prakīrṇakaṃ tu yācitakāvakrītakāhitakanikṣepakāṇāṃ yathādeśakālamadāne yāmacchāyāsamupaveśasaṃsthitīnāṃ vā deśakālātipātane gulmataradeyaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ sādhayataḥ prativeśānuveśayorupari nimantraṇe ca dvādaśapaṇo daṇḍaḥ

Translation

As to miscellaneous offences: for failing to return, at the prescribed place and time, items that are begged/borrowed, hired, deposited for safekeeping, or entrusted; or for overstaying beyond the agreed place/time (even for a watch, shade-rest, sitting or lodging); and for compelling a Brāhmaṇa to render service due to a military post (gulma) or forced conveyance; and for inviting guests while bypassing one’s immediate and next-door neighbours— the fine is 12 paṇas.

Word by Word

प्रकीर्णकम्miscellaneous (case/category)

तुbut/indeed

याचितकof borrowed/asked-for items

अवक्रीतकof hired/leased items

आहितकof deposited/entrusted items

निक्षेपकाणाम्of deposit-cases / of deposits

यथाas/according to

देशकालम्place and time (as prescribed)

अदानेin non-delivery / in failure to return

यामच्छायासमुपवेशसंस्थितीनाम्of those who remain seated/at rest for the duration measured by a watch/period (yāma) and shadow (time-measure)

वाor

देशकालातिपातनेin exceeding the prescribed place/time

गुल्मतरदेयम्a ‘garrison/guard-post’ fine (amount payable as gulma-tara-deya)

ब्राह्मणम्a Brahmin

साधयतःof one who is prosecuting/establishing (a claim)

प्रतिवेशof a neighbor

अनुवेशयोःof the adjacent neighbor (and)

उपरिover/against/with respect to

निमन्त्रणेin (the act of) summoning/inviting

चand

द्वादशपणःtwelve-paṇa (in amount)

दण्डःa fine/penalty

Entities Mentioned

borrower/bailee

Brāhmaṇa

neighbours (prativeśa, anuveśa)

gulma (military post)

FAQs

What administrative intent underlies the 12-paṇa fine here?

To enforce punctual performance in everyday obligations (returning borrowed/entrusted items, not overstaying) and to prevent socially disruptive coercion (forcing a Brāhmaṇa into service; bypassing neighbours in invitations).

Why regulate invitations relative to neighbours?

It functions as a public-order norm: preventing insult-based disputes and maintaining local harmony in tightly knit residential units.