Sutra 13

Devanagari script

मातृपितृपुत्रभ्रात्राचार्यतपस्विघातकं वात्वग्शिरःप्रादीपिकं घातयेत् ॥ कZ_०४.११.१३ ॥

Transliteration

mātṛpitṛputrabhrātrācāryatapasvighātakaṃ vā tvagśiraḥprādīpikaṃ ghātayet

Translation

One who kills (his) mother, father, son, brother, teacher, or an ascetic—alternatively, one who makes a ‘lamp’ of skin and head—should be put to death.

Word by Word

मातृपितृपुत्रभ्रात्राचार्यतपस्विघातकम्a killer of (one’s) mother, father, son, brother, teacher, or an ascetic

वाor

त्वक्शिरःप्रादीपिकम्the ‘skin-and-head’ burning/torching punishment (a severe torture/penalty)

घातयेत्should cause to be killed / should have executed

Entities Mentioned

mother

father

son

brother

teacher (ācārya)

ascetic (tapasvin)

FAQs

What is the administrative logic behind grouping kin, teacher, and ascetic together?

They are pillars of social reproduction—family lineage, instruction, and religious discipline—so violence against them is treated as an attack on the state’s moral and institutional stability.