Sutra 19

Devanagari script

शरीरदण्डं क्षिपति शारीरमेव दण्डं भजेत निष्क्रयद्विगुणं वा ॥ कZ_०४.९.१९ ॥

Transliteration

śarīradaṇḍaṃ kṣipati śārīrameva daṇḍaṃ bhajeta niṣkrayadviguṇaṃ vā

Translation

If an official inflicts corporal punishment, he shall himself undergo the same corporal punishment, or else pay double the redemption/compensation amount.

Word by Word

• शरीरदण्डम्: bodily punishment
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; (शरीरस्य दण्डः)

• क्षिपति: inflicts / imposes
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप्
• Form: लट्; परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• शारीरम्: bodily / corporeal
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरीर
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; दण्डम् इति विशेषणम्

• एव: only / indeed
• Type: Particle
• Root: एव
• Form: निपात

• दण्डम्: punishment; penalty
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया

• भजेत: should undergo / should receive
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज्
• Form: विधिलिङ्; आत्मनेपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• निष्क्रय-द्विगुणम्: double the redemption-payment (buy-off amount)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विगुण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; (निष्क्रयस्य द्विगुणम्)

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: निपात; विकल्पार्थक

Entities Mentioned

• official/authority using force
• punished person

More Details

FAQs

What governance objective is served by ‘same punishment or double compensation’?

It constrains discretionary violence by making the enforcer personally liable, while allowing monetary substitution to operationalize enforcement.