Sutra 9

Devanagari script

तत्र रत्नोपधाव् उत्तमो दण्डः कर्तुः कारयितुश्च सारोपधौ मध्यमः फल्गुकुप्योपधौ तच्च तावच्च दण्डः ॥ कZ_०२.५.०९ ॥

Transliteration

tatra ratnopadhāv uttamo daṇḍaḥ kartuḥ kārayituś ca; sāropadhau madhyamaḥ; phalgukupyopadhau tacca tāvacca daṇḍaḥ.

Translation

അവിടെ പകരംവയ്ക്കൽ/കള്ളക്കലർത്തൽ കേസുകളിൽ—രത്നങ്ങളിൽ ചെയ്തവനും ചെയ്യിപ്പിച്ചവനും ഏറ്റവും ഉയർന്ന പിഴ; പ്രധാന വിലയേറിയ വസ്തുക്കളിൽ മധ്യമ പിഴ; ചെറുവസ്തുക്കളിലും സാധാരണ ചരക്കുകളിലും അതേ മൂല്യത്തിനും അതേ അളവിനും അനുസരിച്ച പിഴ ആയിരിക്കും।

Word by Word

• तत्र: there; in that context
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक)

• रत्नोपधौ: in the test involving jewels
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपधा (√धा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; रत्नस्य उपधौ = रत्न-विषये उपधायाम् (test/trap concerning jewels)

• उत्तमः: highest; most severe
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; दण्डः इति विशेषणम्

• दण्डः: punishment; penalty
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• कर्तुः: of the doer (principal agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (√कृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन

• कारयितुः: of the instigator; of the one who causes (another) to do
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारयितृ (√कृ, णिच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन

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

• सारोपधौ: in the test involving valuables/treasure
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपधा (√धा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; सारस्य उपधौ = सार-विषये उपधायाम् (test concerning valuable essence/treasure)

• मध्यमः: middle; moderate
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यम
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; दण्डः इति विशेषणम्

• फल्गुकुप्योपधौ: in the test involving trifles and base commodities
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपधा (√धा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; (फल्गु + कुप्य) इत्ययोः उपधौ = in the test concerning trifles and base goods

• तत्: that (penalty)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; दण्डः इत्यस्य निर्देशः

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

• तावत्: so much; to that extent
• Type: Indeclinable/Quantifier
• Root: तावत्
• Form: परिमाणवाचक अव्यय (यावत्-तावत्-प्रयोग)

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

• दण्डः: the penalty (is)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; (अध्याहृतः) अस्ति/भवति इत्यर्थः

Entities Mentioned

• perpetrator (kartuḥ)
• instigator (kārayituḥ)
• ratna
• sāra
• phalgu
• kupya

More Details

FAQs

Why punish both the doer and the instigator?

It targets the full corruption chain—execution and command—preventing superiors from outsourcing wrongdoing while avoiding liability.

What is the administrative logic of scaling penalties by value class?

It aligns deterrence with fiscal risk: higher-value assets invite higher temptation and greater state loss, justifying stronger sanctions.