Sutra 2

Devanagari script

पूर्वानुवृत्तं धर्मसेतुमाधानं विक्रयं वा नयतो नाययतो वा मध्यमः साहसदण्डः श्रोतृऋणामुत्तमः अन्यत्र भग्नोत्सृष्टात् ॥ कZ_०३.१०.०२ ॥

Transliteration

pūrvānuvṛttaṃ dharmasetuṃ ādhānaṃ vikrayaṃ vā nayato nāyayato vā madhyamaḥ sāhasadaṇḍaḥ śrotṛṛṇām uttamaḥ anyatra bhagnotsṛṣṭāt

Translation

पूर्व से प्रचलित और लोक-मान्य ‘धर्मसेतु’ (बाँध/जल-अधिकार-व्यवस्था) को मोड़ने या उसे पुनः स्थापित न करने पर, तथा उसे अनुचित रूप से गिरवी रखने या बेचने पर मध्यम साहस-दण्ड लगता है। श्रोत्रिय (विशेष अनुदान) भूमि के मामलों में उत्तम दण्ड लगेगा—परन्तु जहाँ संरचना टूटी हुई या परित्यक्त हो, वहाँ नहीं।

Word by Word

पूर्वानुवृत्तम्previously established / already in force (custom/arrangement)

धर्मसेतुम्the ‘dharma-boundary’ (a legally/ethically binding boundary/settlement)

आधानम्depositing / placing (as a transaction/act)

विक्रयम्sale

वाor

नयतःof one who takes away / appropriates

नnot

आययतःof one who does not bring/restore

वाor

मध्यमःmiddle (grade)

साहसदण्डःthe penalty for forcible wrongdoing (sāhasa-penalty)

श्रोतृऋणाम्of the debts/obligations (connected with) the hearers/witnesses

उत्तमःhighest (grade)

अन्यत्रexcept / otherwise than

भग्नोत्सृष्टात्except in cases of (it being) broken or abandoned

इतिthus

Entities Mentioned

users of dharmasetu

pledgees/buyers

śrotriya landholders

administrative judiciary

FAQs

What does 'pūrvānuvṛtta' contribute to the rule?

It makes prior, continued practice a legal anchor: established arrangements cannot be casually altered by private action.

Why an exception for 'broken or abandoned' works?

Because enforcement aims to preserve functioning, relied-upon arrangements; abandoned/broken structures do not generate the same reliance interests.