Sutra 5

Devanagari script

वैदेहकानामेकरात्रमनुशयः कर्षकाणां त्रिरात्रं गोरक्षकाणां पञ्चरात्रम् ॥ कZ_०३.१५.०५ ॥

Transliteration

vaidehakānāmekarātramanuśayaḥ karṣakāṇāṃ trirātraṃ gorakṣakāṇāṃ pañcarātram

Translation

वैदेहकों के लिए अनुशय (वापसी/पश्चात्ताप) की अवधि एक रात; कृषकों के लिए तीन रातें; गोरक्षकों के लिए पाँच रातें है।

Word by Word

• वैदेहकानाम्: of the vaidehakas (a class of traders/agents)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैदेहक
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचनम् (Genitive plural), पुंलिङ्ग (profession/agent noun)

• एकरात्रम्: for one night (one-day period)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकरात्र
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Accusative singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग; कालपरिमाण (measure of time)

• अनुशयः: the prescribed period (of waiting/penance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुशय
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Nominative singular), पुंलिङ्ग; विधेय (predicate noun)

• कर्षकाणाम्: of the cultivators (farmers)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्षक
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचनम् (Genitive plural), पुंलिङ्ग

• त्रिरात्रम्: for three nights (three-day period)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिरात्र
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Accusative singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग; कालपरिमाण

• गोरक्षकाणाम्: of the cowherds/cattle-guards
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोरक्षक
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचनम् (Genitive plural), पुंलिङ्ग

• पञ्चरात्रम्: for five nights (five-day period)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चरात्र
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Accusative singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग; कालपरिमाण

Entities Mentioned

• vaidehaka
• karṣaka (cultivator)
• gorakṣaka (cowherd)

More Details

FAQs

Why would the anuśaya period vary by occupation?

Kauṭilya calibrates rescission windows to practical constraints—mobility, perishability, and verification time—so that reversal is possible without destabilizing supply and credit.