Sutra 4
Devanagari script
श्रोतृऋणामेकैकं प्रत्यर्धदण्डाः ॥ कZ_०३.१.०४ ॥
Transliteration
śrotṛṛṇām ekaikaṃ praty ardhadaṇḍāḥ
Translation
ਸ਼੍ਰੋਤ੍ਰ/ਣ ਪੱਖਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਹਰ ਵਿਅਕਤੀ ਲਈ ਅੱਧਾ-ਦੰਡ (ਅਰਧਦੰਡ) ਹੋਵੇਗਾ।
Word by Word
श्रोतृ-ऋणाम्of the debts/dues owed to listeners (audience)
श्रोतृ-ऋणाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootऋण
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-बहुवचन; समासः—श्रोतॄणाम् (श्रोत्र्/श्रोतृ ‘श्रवणकर्ता/श्रोता’ इत्यस्य षष्ठी-बहुवचन) + ऋणाम् (ऋण ‘debt’ इत्यस्य षष्ठी-बहुवचन) → ‘श्रोतृऋणाम्’
एकैकम्each (one) individually; one by one
एकैकम्:
TypePronoun/Adjective
Rootएक
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; ‘एक + एक’ (पुनरुक्तिः) → ‘each singly/one by one’
प्रतिper; for each
प्रति:
TypeParticle/Preposition
Rootप्रति
Formअव्यय; ‘per/for each’ अर्थे (विभक्त्यर्थ-निपातः)
अर्ध-दण्डाःhalf-fines (i.e., a fine amounting to half the standard penalty)
अर्ध-दण्डाः:
TypeNoun
Rootदण्ड
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; समासः—अर्ध (half) + दण्ड (fine/punishment) → ‘half-fines’; विधेयपदम्
Entities Mentioned
Ś
śrotṛ (hearer/witness/listener—role depends on context)Ṛ
ṛṇa (debtor/obligated party—role depends on context)FAQs
It operationalizes proportionality: lesser involvement attracts lesser punishment, while the per-capita rule makes enforcement scalable and predictable.