Sutra 5

Devanagari script

त्रिरात्रादूर्ध्वमग्राह्यः शङ्कितकः पृच्छाभावादन्यत्रोपकरणदर्शनात् ॥ कZ_०४.८.०५ ॥

Transliteration

trirātrād ūrdhvam agrāhyaḥ śaṅkitakaḥ pṛcchābhāvād anyatra-upakaraṇa-darśanāt

Translation

A mere suspect should not be detained beyond three nights—when there is no further basis for questioning and when the implements/evidence are seen elsewhere (i.e., not connected to him).

Word by Word

• त्रिरात्रात्: from (the end of) three nights; after three nights
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिरात्र
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी एकवचन (अपादान)

• ऊर्ध्वम्: afterwards; beyond; thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (काल/दिशा-निर्देश)

• अग्राह्यः: is not acceptable / not to be taken (as valid)
• Type: Participle (verbal adjective)
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक; कृदन्त (तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययार्थे ‘ग्राह्य’); पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• शङ्कितकः: the suspect / suspected person
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्क्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त/तद्धित-प्राय (शङ्कित ‘suspected’ + क-प्रत्यय)

• पृच्छा: questioning; interrogation
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• अभावात्: because of the absence (of)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभाव
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी एकवचन (हेतु/कारण)

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere; except (i.e., otherwise)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र
• Form: अव्यय; स्थान/अपवादार्थे

• उपकरण: instrument(s); implement(s)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपकरण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• दर्शनात्: because of seeing / from the sight (of)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी एकवचन (हेतु/कारण)

Entities Mentioned

• suspect
• investigators
• evidentiary items/implements

More Details

FAQs

What administrative principle is expressed by the 'three nights' rule?

Time-bounded custody: suspicion must quickly mature into evidence-based inquiry, otherwise the state must release the person to prevent abuse.