Sutra 9

Devanagari script

दन्तयुगं स्वयं मृतस्याहरतः सपादचतुष्पणो लाभः ॥ कZ_०२.२.०९ ॥

Transliteration

dantayugaṃ svayaṃ mṛtasyāharataḥ sapādacatuṣpaṇo lābhaḥ

Translation

Quiconque apporte lui‑même une paire de défenses provenant d’un éléphant mort naturellement recevra une récompense de quatre paṇas et un quart.

Word by Word

• दन्त-युगम्: a pair of teeth
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त; युग
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; 'दन्तानां युगम्' (a pair of teeth)

• स्वयम्: personally; by oneself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्
• Form: अव्यय; ‘oneself / personally’

• मृतस्य: of a dead person; of the deceased
• Type: Noun (participle used substantively)
• Root: मृत (√मृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन; ‘of a dead (person)’

• आहरतः: of (one) who carries off / takes away
• Type: Verb (present participle)
• Root: आ-√हृ
• Form: लट्-वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (agreeing with ‘मृतस्य’): ‘of (one) who is bringing/taking away’

• स-पाद-चतुष्पणः: (a value/fine of) four and a quarter paṇas
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद; चतुष्पण
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘सपादः चतुष्पणः’ = 4 paṇas plus a quarter (i.e., 4¼ paṇas)

• लाभः: gain; value (assessed amount)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाभ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; predicate noun

Entities Mentioned

• informant/collector
• tusks (state-controlled commodity)

More Details

FAQs

What policy logic is served by rewarding the reporting/collection of tusks from naturally dead elephants?

It channels valuable ivory into lawful state collection, reducing black-market incentives and improving monitoring of elephant mortality.