Sutra 24

Devanagari script

प्रसह्य कन्यामपहरतो द्विशतः ससुवर्णामुत्तमः ॥ कZ_०४.१२.२४ ॥

Transliteration

prasahya kanyām apaharato dviśataḥ sa-suvarṇām uttamaḥ

Translation

Pour celui qui enlève de force une jeune fille, l’amende maximale est de deux cents paṇas, avec en plus un suvarṇa (pièce d’or).

Word by Word

• प्रसह्य: forcibly, by force
• Type: Avyaya (Gerund)
• Root: सह्
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त), उपसर्ग: प्र-; अर्थे: बलात्/प्रबलतया कृत्वा

• कन्याम्: a maiden, unmarried girl
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• अपहरतः: of (a person) abducting / carrying off
• Type: Verb (Participle)
• Root: अप-हृ
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (genitive singular): ‘of one who is abducting/taking away’

• द्विशतः: two hundred (as the fine)
• Type: Numeral (used as Noun)
• Root: द्वि-शत
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; दण्डराशिः (fine-amount)

• ससुवर्णाम्: together with a suvarṇa (gold coin)
• Type: Adjective (used with implied noun ‘दण्डाम्/राशिम्’)
• Root: स- + सुवर्ण
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘स’ = सह (with) + ‘सुवर्ण’ (gold coin) → ‘with (an additional) suvarṇa’

• उत्तमः: the highest (grade of punishment/fine)
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; दण्डविशेषणम्—‘उत्तमः (दण्डः)’

Entities Mentioned

• maiden (kanyā)
• abductor
• state

More Details

FAQs

What makes 4.12.24 an ‘uttama’ (highest) penalty within this cluster?

The offence involves forceful abduction, a direct threat to personal security and public order, warranting the top graded fine plus an added gold payment.

What is the deterrence design here?

Escalation: consensual cases draw low fines, non-consent and fraud draw higher fines, and violent abduction triggers the highest sanction.