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

Por desviar ou deixar de restaurar um «dharmasetu» estabelecido e consuetudinário (um dique/aterro ou um arranjo de direitos de água lícito e publicamente reconhecido), e por tomá-lo indevidamente em penhor ou vendê-lo, aplica-se a multa sāhasa média; em assuntos envolvendo terras śrotriya (terras de doação privilegiada), aplica-se a multa máxima — exceto quando a estrutura estiver quebrada ou abandonada.

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.