Sutra 14

Devanagari script

चोरं पारदारिकं वा मोक्षयतो राजशासनमूनमतिरिक्तं वा लिखतः कन्यां दासीं वा सहिरण्यमपरहतः कूटव्यवहारिणो विमांसविक्रयिणश्च वामहस्तद्विपादवधो नवशतो वा दण्डः ॥ कZ_०४.१०.१४ ॥

Transliteration

coraṃ pāradārikaṃ vā mokṣayato rājaśāsanamūnamatiriktaṃ vā likhataḥ kanyāṃ dāsīṃ vā sahiraṇyamaparahataḥ kūṭavyavahāriṇo vimāṃsavikrayiṇaśca vāmahastadvipādavadho navaśato vā daṇḍaḥ

Translation

For one who releases a thief or an adulterer, who writes a royal order with omissions or additions (i.e., falsifies it), who abducts a maiden or a female slave together with her gold, who conducts fraudulent transactions, and for one who sells prohibited meat—(the penalty is) cutting off the left hand and both feet, or a fine of 900 (paṇas).

Word by Word

चोरम्a thief

पारदारिकम्an adulterer (violator of another’s wife)

वाor

मोक्षयतःof (a person) releasing / letting go

राजशासनम्the king’s punishment / royal penalty

ऊनम्less (than due)

अतिरिक्तम्excessive / more (than due)

वाor

लिखतःof (a person) writing / recording

कन्याम्a maiden / girl

दासीम्a female slave / maidservant

वाor

सहिरण्यम्together with gold / with money

अपरहतःnot taken away / not confiscated

कूटव्यवहारिणःthose who engage in fraudulent dealings / false litigation

विमांसविक्रयिणःmeat-sellers

चand

वामहस्तद्विपादवधःthe punishment of cutting off the left hand and both feet

नवशतःof nine hundred (as fine)

वाor

दण्डःa penalty / fine

Entities Mentioned

thief (cora)

adulterer (pāradārika)

royal edict (rājaśāsana)

maiden (kanyā)

female slave (dāsī)

FAQs

What is the state-interest logic behind punishing falsification of a royal order so harshly?

Royal orders are the administrative backbone of governance; tampering converts state authority into private power, enabling corruption and illegal exactions, so the text treats it as a high-grade threat.