यदृच्छाघाते पुंसः पशुयूथस्तेये च शुद्धवधः ॥ कZ_०४.११.१५ ॥
yadṛcchāghāte puṃsaḥ paśu-yūtha-steye ca śuddha-vadhaḥ
यदृच्छाघाते पुंसः, पशुयूथस्तेये च, शुद्धवधः।
A herd is strategic rural capital (food, traction, taxation base). Large-scale theft threatens economic stability and state revenue, so it is deterred as a near-existential offense.