Sutra 15
Devanagari script
यदृच्छाघाते पुंसः पशुयूथस्तेये च शुद्धवधः ॥ कZ_०४.११.१५ ॥
Transliteration
yadṛcchāghāte puṃsaḥ paśu-yūtha-steye ca śuddha-vadhaḥ
Translation
For the killing of a man ‘without cause’ (unprovoked) and for the theft of a herd of cattle, the punishment is straightforward execution.
Word by Word
यदृच्छाby chance; accidental occurrence
यदृच्छा:
TypeNoun
Rootयदृच्छा
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (अव्ययीभाव-निष्पन्ना संज्ञा: ‘यदृच्छया’ इत्यर्थे ‘यदृच्छा’ = आकस्मिकता)
आघातेin an assault/attack; on striking
आघाते:
TypeNoun
Rootआ-हन्
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; ‘आघात’ = प्रहार/आक्रमण/संघट्ट
पुंसःof a man
पुंसः:
TypeNoun
Rootपुंस् (पुमान्)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन
पशुयूथa herd of animals
पशुयूथ:
TypeNoun
Rootपशु + यूथ
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार/समूहवाचक), प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘पशूनां यूथम्’ = पशुयूथम्
स्तेयेin theft; in a case of stealing
स्तेये:
TypeNoun
Rootस्तेय
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; ‘स्तेय’ = चोरी
चand
च:
TypeParticle
Rootच
Formसमुच्चयार्थक अव्यय
शुद्धवधःkilling is (legally) justified/cleared (i.e., no punishment)
शुद्धवधः:
TypeNoun
Rootशुद्ध + वध
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘शुद्धः वधः’ = दोषाभावेन/निष्पापत्वेन अनुमतः वधः
Entities Mentioned
M
man (victim)C
cattle herdFAQs
A herd is strategic rural capital (food, traction, taxation base). Large-scale theft threatens economic stability and state revenue, so it is deterred as a near-existential offense.