Sutra 4
Devanagari script
नानास्त्रीपुत्राणां तु संस्कृतासंस्कृतयोः कन्याकृतक्षतयोरभावे च एकस्याः पुत्रयोर्यमयोर्वा पूर्वजन्मना ज्येष्ठभावः ॥ कZ_०३.६.१३ ॥
Transliteration
nānāstrīputrāṇāṃ tu saṃskṛtāsaṃskṛtayoḥ kanyākṛtakṣatayorabhāve ca ekasyāḥ putrayoryamayorvā pūrvajanmanā jyeṣṭhabhāvaḥ
Translation
For sons born of different women: when there is no differentiator such as “consecrated/unconsecrated” status or other distinguishing marks (e.g., in the case of a maiden where defloration/first intercourse serves as a marker), and when two sons of the same mother are twins, seniority (jyeṣṭhatva) is determined by prior birth (who was born first).
Word by Word
नानाvarious, different
नाना:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनाना
Formअव्यय; ‘various/different’ (adverbial qualifier)
स्त्रीwoman, wife
स्त्री:
TypeNoun
Rootस्त्री
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया? (समासपूर्वपद); here as first member in compound with पुत्राणाम
पुत्राणाम्of sons
पुत्राणाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootपुत्र
Formपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी बहुवचन; ‘of sons’
तुbut, however
तु:
TypeParticle
Rootतु
Formअव्यय; contrast/emphasis
संस्कृतlegitimated/regular (ritually sanctioned)
संस्कृत:
TypeAdjective/Participle
Rootसंस्कृ (सम्+√कृ)
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग?; used as adjectival member in द्वन्द्व ‘संस्कृत-असंस्कृत’
असंस्कृतयोःof the irregular/unsanctioned (one)
असंस्कृतयोः:
TypeAdjective
Rootअसंस्कृत (a- + संस्कृत)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी/सप्तमी द्विवचन; in construction ‘संस्कृतासंस्कृतयोः’ = ‘of/among the saṃskṛta and asaṃskṛta (cases)’
कन्याmaiden, daughter
कन्या:
TypeNoun
Rootकन्या
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; (समासपूर्वपद) first member in compound कन्या-कृत-क्षतयोः
कृतdone, made
कृत:
TypePast Participle
Root√कृ
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त); (समासमध्यपद) ‘done/made’ in compound
क्षतयोःof the injury/defloration (cases)
क्षतयोः:
TypeNoun/Adjective
Rootक्षत
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी/सप्तमी द्विवचन; ‘of/among (the cases of) injury/defloration’
अभावेin the absence
अभावे:
TypeNoun
Rootअभाव
Formपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन; ‘in the absence (of …)’
चand
च:
TypeConjunction
Rootच
Formअव्यय; coordination
एकस्याःof one (woman)
एकस्याः:
TypeNumeral/Adjective
Rootएक
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन; ‘of one (woman)’
पुत्रयोःof two sons
पुत्रयोः:
TypeNoun
Rootपुत्र
Formपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी/सप्तमी द्विवचन; ‘of/among two sons’
यमयोःof twins
यमयोः:
TypeNoun
Rootयम
Formपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी/सप्तमी द्विवचन; ‘of/among twins’
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formअव्यय; विकल्प (or)
पूर्वprevious, earlier
पूर्व:
TypeAdjective/Indeclinable (in compound)
Rootपूर्व
Formसमासपूर्वपद in पूर्व-जन्म-ना
जन्मbirth
जन्म:
TypeNoun
Rootजन्मन्
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासमध्यपद) in पूर्व-जन्म-ना
नाby/according to (instrumental)
ना:
TypeCase-suffix form (Instrumental)
Rootना (तृतीया-एकवचन प्रत्ययः)
Formतृतीया एकवचन (instrumental) of ‘पूर्वजन्म’ → ‘पूर्वजन्मना’ = ‘by/according to prior birth’
ज्येष्ठelder, senior
ज्येष्ठ:
TypeAdjective
Rootज्येष्ठ
Formसमासपूर्वपद in ज्येष्ठ-भावः
भावःstatus/condition (of being elder)
भावः:
TypeNoun
Rootभाव
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘state/status (of being elder)’
Entities Mentioned
S
sonsM
mothersT
twinsC
court/official (implied)FAQs
It prevents deadlock in succession disputes by giving courts a deterministic rule (first-born = elder) when other status markers do not resolve priority.