Sutra 7

Devanagari script

नृशंसमदुष्टवधः क्षत्रबीजविनाशश्च इति विशालाक्षः ॥ कZ_०१.१७.०७ ॥

Transliteration

nṛśaṃsam aduṣṭavadhaḥ kṣatrabījavināśaś ca iti viśālākṣaḥ

Translation

Viśālākṣa says: it is cruel—killing the innocent—and it also destroys the seed of the kṣatriya line (the dynastic stock).

Word by Word

• नृशंसम्: cruelty; mercilessness (cruelly)
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: नृशंस
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (क्रियाविशेषणवत्/कर्मपदवत्)

• अदुष्ट-वधः: killing of the innocent (non-wicked)
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: वध (√वध्/हन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; समासः: अदुष्टस्य वधः

• क्षत्र-बीज-विनाशः: destruction of the Kshatriya seed/lineage (royal stock)
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: विनाश (वि+√नश्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; समासः: क्षत्रस्य बीजस्य विनाशः

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

• इति: thus; so (as stated)
• Type: Particle (quotative)
• Root: इति
• Form: उद्धरण/निगमनार्थक अव्यय

• विशालाक्षः: Viśālākṣa (name of an authority)
• Type: Proper noun
• Root: विशालाक्ष
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; ‘विशालाक्ष’ इति नाम (विशालौ अक्षिणी यस्य)

Entities Mentioned

• Viśālākṣa
• kṣatra (ruling line)

More Details

FAQs

Why is 'aduṣṭavadha' (killing the innocent) framed as a governance problem rather than only a moral one?

It damages legitimacy, invites elite and public resentment, and can trigger instability—costs that weaken the state.

What does 'kṣatrabīja' imply in administrative terms?

The continuity of the ruling institution (succession capacity); harming it undermines long-term state stability.