Sutra 13

Devanagari script

मृतकल्पमशोणितं घ्नतो हस्तपादपारञ्चिकं वा कुर्वतः पूर्वः साहसदण्डः पाणिपाददन्तभङ्गे कर्णनासाच्छेदने व्रणविदारणे च्च अन्यत्र दुष्टव्रणेभ्यः ॥ कZ_०३.१९.१३ ॥

Transliteration

mṛtakalpam aśoṇitaṃ ghnato hasta-pāda-pārañcikaṃ vā kurvataḥ pūrvaḥ sāhasa-daṇḍaḥ pāṇi-pāda-danta-bhaṅge karṇa-nāsā-cchedane vraṇa-vidāraṇe ca anyatra duṣṭa-vraṇebhyaḥ

Translation

If one beats another so as to render him ‘as good as dead’ without bleeding, or causes lameness of hand or foot, the first sāhasa-penalty applies. The same applies for breaking a hand, foot, or tooth; cutting off ear or nose; and tearing open a wound—except where it concerns diseased/ulcerated wounds.

Word by Word

मृतकल्पम्(making someone) as if dead; death-like

अशोणितम्bloodless; without bleeding

घ्नतःof one who strikes/assaults (lit. ‘killing’)

हस्तपादपारञ्चिकम्a ‘pārañcika’ act involving hands and feet (a specific mutilating/crippling act)

वाor

कुर्वतःof one who does/commits

पूर्वःthe first (lowest)

साहसदण्डःthe penalty for violent assault (sāhasa-penalty)

पाणिपाददन्तभङ्गेin the breaking of hands, feet, or teeth

कर्णनासाच्छेदनेin the cutting off of ear(s) and nose

व्रणविदारणेin the tearing/opening of a wound

चand

अन्यत्रexcept; otherwise (i.e., not in the case of…)

दुष्टव्रणेभ्यःfrom (i.e., except in the case of) infected/ulcerated wounds

FAQs

What is the administrative aim of listing injuries (fracture, ear/nose cutting, wound-tearing)?

To create an enforceable injury taxonomy for courts—linking observable harm to preset penalty tiers and limiting arbitrary judgments.