Sutra 23

Devanagari script

बहिर्ग्रामस्य प्रकृतायां मिथ्याभिशंसने च द्विगुणो दण्डः ॥ कZ_०४.१२.२३ ॥

Transliteration

bahirgrāmasya prakṛtāyāṃ mithyābhiśaṃsane ca dviguṇo daṇḍaḥ

Translation

बहिर्ग्रामे कृतायां तथा मिथ्याभिशंसने च दण्डो द्विगुणः।

Word by Word

• बहिः: outside
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिस्
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक (outside)

• ग्रामस्य: of the village
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्राम
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन (genitive singular)

• प्रकृतायाम्: in the case of a respectable/ordinary woman
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन (locative singular)

• मिथ्या: falsely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मिथ्या
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (falsely)

• अभिशंसने: in (the act/case of) accusation/denunciation
• Type: Noun (action noun)
• Root: अभि-शंस्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन (locative singular); भाववाचक-संज्ञा (act of accusing/denouncing)

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• द्विगुणः: double
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि-गुण
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying दण्डः)

• दण्डः: the penalty (fine/punishment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (nominative singular)

Entities Mentioned

• offender/accuser (context-dependent)
• village jurisdiction
• state

More Details

FAQs

Why would ‘outside the village’ trigger a doubled fine?

Acts outside settled oversight increase vulnerability and reduce community protection/witnessing; the state compensates with higher deterrence.

How does the text treat false accusation procedurally?

As a serious abuse warranting enhanced penalty, protecting judicial integrity and preventing harassment through litigation.