Sutra 24

Devanagari script

वाक्पारुष्यार्थदूषणयोर्वाक्पारुष्यं गरीयः इति विशालाक्षः ॥ कZ_०८.३.२४ ॥

Transliteration

vākpāruṣyārthadūṣaṇayor vākpāruṣyaṃ garīyaḥ iti viśālākṣaḥ

Translation

Between verbal abuse and injury to property/wealth, Viśālākṣa holds that verbal abuse is the graver offense.

Word by Word

• वाक्पारुष्य: verbal abuse / harsh speech
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारुष्य (from परुष)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (contextually प्रथमा एकवचन as subject)

• अर्थदूषणयोः: of (the two:) verbal abuse and damage to property/wealth
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूषण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी?—here द्विवचन, षष्ठी द्विवचन (genitive dual): ‘of (the two) …’; members: अर्थ + दूषण

• वाक्पारुष्यम्: verbal abuse
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारुष्य (from परुष)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (predicate nominative/accusative; here predicate nominative)

• गरीयः: more serious / graver
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गरियस् (comparative of गुरु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (comparative adjective agreeing with वाक्पारुष्यम्)

• इति: thus (says/according to)
• Type: Particle
• Root: इति
• Form: उद्धरण/निगमनार्थक अव्यय (quotative)

• विशालाक्षः: Viśālākṣa (name of an authority)
• Type: Noun (proper name)
• Root: विशालाक्ष
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (speaker/authority cited)

Entities Mentioned

• Viśālākṣa

More Details

FAQs

What legal-policy issue is being debated in 8.3.24?

Whether verbal abuse (harm through speech) should be treated as more serious than injury to wealth/property, for purposes of legal evaluation and punishment.

Why does the text cite named authorities like Viśālākṣa?

To record jurisprudential disagreement and to justify the final state policy by weighing competing expert views.