Sutra 14

Devanagari script

गण्यपण्येष्वष्टभागं पण्यमूल्येष्वपहरतः षण्णवतिर्दण्डः ॥ कZ_०४.२.१४ ॥

Transliteration

gaṇyapaṇyeṣv aṣṭabhāgaṃ paṇyamūlyeṣv apaharataḥ ṣaṇṇavatir daṇḍaḥ

Translation

For one who, in countable goods, misappropriates an eighth part of the goods’ value, the penalty is ninety-six (paṇas).

Word by Word

• गण्यपण्येषु: in the case of countable goods (sold by number)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण्यपण्य
• Form: सप्तमी-बहुवचनम् (locative plural), नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; समासः: गण्य + पण्य (गण्यं च तत् पण्यं च/गण्यपण्यम्)

• अष्टभागम्: one-eighth (share/portion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टभाग
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (accusative singular), पुल्लिङ्गम्; समासः: अष्टानां भागः (one-eighth share)

• पण्यमूल्येषु: in the prices/values of goods
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण्यमूल्य
• Form: सप्तमी-बहुवचनम् (locative plural), नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; समासः: पण्यस्य मूल्यं (price/value of goods)

• अपहरतः: of one who misappropriates/takes away
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-हृ
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्तः (present active participle), परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (nom. sg.), पुल्लिङ्गम्; अर्थः: ‘अपहरन्’ (one who takes away/embezzles)

• षण्णवतिः: ninety-six
• Type: Noun
• Root: षण्णवति
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (nominative singular), स्त्रीलिङ्गम्; संख्या (96)

• दण्डः: the fine/penalty
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (nominative singular), पुल्लिङ्गम्

Entities Mentioned

• merchant
• consumer
• market inspector (implied)

More Details

FAQs

What are 'gaṇyapaṇya' in administrative terms?

Goods sold by count (units/pieces), where cheating occurs by under-delivery or manipulating unit counts/valuation.

Why specify a fraction (one-eighth)?

It standardizes enforcement by linking fraud magnitude to a clear threshold, enabling predictable adjudication.