Sutra 34

Devanagari script

जारं चोर इत्यभिहरतः पञ्चशतो दण्डः हिरण्येन मुञ्चतस्तदष्टगुणः ॥ कZ_०४.१२.३४ ॥

Transliteration

jāraṃ cora ityabhiharataḥ pañcaśato daṇḍaḥ hiraṇyena muñcatastadaṣṭaguṇaḥ

Translation

For one who seizes (someone) alleging ‘the adulterer is a thief’, the fine is five hundred (paṇas); if he releases him for money (i.e., takes gold as a bribe/extortion), the penalty is eight times that.

Word by Word

• जारम्: an adulterer / paramour
• Type: Noun
• Root: जार
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• चोरः: a thief
• Type: Noun
• Root: चोर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन

• इति: thus; as (saying)
• Type: Particle
• Root: इति
• Form: इत्यादि-निर्देशक अव्यय; वाक्य/उक्ति-समाप्त्यर्थक

• अभिहरतः: (of) two persons who accuse/denounce (someone)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-हृ
• Form: लट्; परस्मैपद; प्रथमा-द्विवचन (कर्तरि); धातु: हृ (हरति) उपसर्ग: अभि

• पञ्चशतः: five hundred
• Type: Numeral (Noun-like)
• Root: पञ्चशत
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन (दण्डः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• दण्डः: a fine/penalty
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन

• हिरण्येन: with gold; by paying in gold
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचन

• मुञ्चतः: (of) two persons who release/let off (someone)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच्
• Form: लट्; परस्मैपद; प्रथमा-द्विवचन (कर्तरि)

• तत्: that; that amount
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन (अष्टगुणः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• अष्टगुणः: eightfold (in amount)
• Type: Adjective (Noun-like)
• Root: अष्ट-गुण
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; ‘अष्ट’ + ‘गुण’ = ‘eightfold’

Entities Mentioned

• accuser/seizer
• jāra (alleged adulterer)
• hiraṇya (money/gold)

More Details

FAQs

What governance risk does 4.12.34 try to prevent?

Vigilante detention and extortion under moral/legal pretexts; it imposes a high fine and an even higher multiplier when money is taken to release the person.