Sutra 14

Devanagari script

यं चात्रापसर्पोपदेशेन शम्याप्रतोदादीनामपहर्तारं जानीयात्तमेषां प्रत्यादिशेत् एष राज्ञः प्रभावः इति ॥ कZ_०४.५.१४ ॥

Transliteration

yaṃ cātrāpasarpa-upadeśena śamyāpratodādīnām apahartāraṃ jānīyāt tam eṣāṃ pratyādiśet—eṣa rājñaḥ prabhāvaḥ iti

Translation

And whoever, through the instruction of a secret informer, is known here to be the stealer of ploughs, goads, and the like—him he should point out to them, saying: ‘This is the king’s power (i.e., reach of enforcement).’

Word by Word

• यम्: whom
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचन; द्वितीया; पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सन्दर्भानुसार)

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

• अत्र: here; in this matter/context
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय

• अपसर्प-उपदेशेन: by (means of) an instruction to withdraw/abscond
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपसर्प (उपसर्ग अप + √सृप्) / उपदेश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; तृतीया; (अपसर्पस्य उपदेशः) ‘by instruction to slip away/withdraw’

• शम्या-प्रतोद-आदीनाम्: of (implements) such as the shamyā and the goad, etc.
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्या / प्रतोद
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-समूह; बहुवचन; षष्ठी; ‘of (items) such as shamyā and goad’

• अपहर्तारम्: the thief/one who has carried off (them)
• Type: Noun (agent)
• Root: अप + √हृ (हृञ्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; कर्तृवाचक-प्रत्यय (तृच्/तार) ‘one who steals/abducts’

• जानीयात्: should identify/ascertain
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ज्ञा (ज्ञा)
• Form: विधिलिङ्; परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; ‘should know/identify’

• तम्: him
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचन; द्वितीया; पुल्लिङ्ग

• एषाम्: of these (persons/things)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: सर्वनाम; बहुवचन; षष्ठी

• प्रत्यादिशेत्: should return/hand him over (back) to these (authorities/owners)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + आ + √दिश् (दिश्)
• Form: विधिलिङ्; परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; ‘should point out/assign/hand over (back)’

• एषः: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचन; प्रथमा; पुल्लिङ्ग

• राज्ञः: of the king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; षष्ठी

• प्रभावः: power/authority
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र + √भू (भू) / प्रभाव
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा; ‘power/authority/effect’

• इति: thus
• Type: Particle
• Root: इति
• Form: उद्धरण/निगमनार्थक अव्यय

Entities Mentioned

• secret informer
• king
• rural tool-thief

More Details

FAQs

Why emphasize theft of ploughs and goads?

They are productivity-critical assets; protecting them safeguards agricultural output and thus state revenue and stability.

Why publicly point out a thief identified by informants?

It converts covert intelligence into visible deterrence, reinforcing the perception that the state can see hidden wrongdoing.