Sutra 20

Devanagari script

पुरुषापराधविशेषेण दण्डविशेषः कार्यः ॥ कZ_०३.२०.२० ॥

Transliteration

puruṣāparādhaviśeṣeṇa daṇḍaviśeṣaḥ kāryaḥ

Translation

Penalties shall be differentiated according to the particular person and the particular offence.

Word by Word

• पुरुषापराधविशेषेण: by/according to the particular nature (degree) of a person’s offence
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष; अपराध; विशेष
• Form: एकवचनम्, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/हेतु), पुंलिङ्ग; समासपदम्: पुरुष-अपराध-विशेष-इण (विशेषेण)

• दण्डविशेषः: a specific/graded punishment (a particular penalty)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड; विशेष
• Form: एकवचनम्, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, पुंलिङ्ग; समासः: दण्ड-विशेषः

• कार्यः: should be done/should be imposed (is to be applied)
• Type: Verb (verbal adjective)
• Root: कृ
• Form: कृ-धातु से कर्तव्य/कार्य (gerundive, -य), एकवचनम्, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, पुंलिङ्ग; विधेय-विशेषणम् (दण्डविशेषः कार्यः = ‘is to be imposed’)

Entities Mentioned

• judge (dharmastha implied)
• offender

More Details

FAQs

What modern principle does this resemble?

Proportionality and individualized sentencing—adjusting punishment based on culpability, harm, and circumstances.