Sutra 17

Devanagari script

गृहीतलोप्त्रभारानायतगतपरिश्रान्तान्प्रस्वपतः प्रहवणेषु योगसुरामत्तान्वा ग्राहयेयुः ॥ कZ_०४.५.१७ ॥

Transliteration

gṛhītaloptrabhārān āyatagatapariśrāntān prasvapataḥ prahavaṇeṣu yogasurāmattān vā grāhayeyuḥ

Translation

गृहीतलोप्त्रभारानायतगतपरिश्रान्तान्प्रस्वपतः प्रहवणेषु योगसुरामत्तान्वा ग्राहयेयुः।

Word by Word

• गृहीत: seized, taken hold of
• Type: Participle
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुं., बहु., द्वितीया; विशेषण (कर्मधारय-भावेन)

• लोप्त्र: cutting tool/implement (e.g., knife, cutter)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लुप् (लोप) / लोप्त्र (करण-नाम)
• Form: नपुं., बहु., द्वितीया; ‘लोप्त्र’ = लोप-करणम् (काटने/छेदने का औजार)

• भारान्: loads, burdens
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार
• Form: पुं., बहु., द्वितीया

• आनयत्: bringing, leading (a person who is bringing)
• Type: Participle
• Root: नी (आ + नी)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ), पुं., एक., प्रथमा; ‘आनयत्’ = bringing, leading (one who is bringing)

• गत: gone, having gone
• Type: Participle
• Root: गम्
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुं., एक., प्रथमा; विशेषण

• परिश्रान्तान्: exhausted, fatigued
• Type: Participle
• Root: श्रम् (परि + श्रम्)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुं., बहु., द्वितीया; विशेषण

• प्रस्वपतः: of those who are asleep / sleeping
• Type: Participle
• Root: स्वप् (प्र + स्वप्)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ), पुं., बहु., षष्ठी/सप्तमी?; व्यवहारतः षष्ठी-बहुवचन (gen. pl.) ‘of those who are sleeping’

• प्रहवणेषु: in gambling places / gaming houses
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहवण
• Form: नपुं., बहु., सप्तमी

• योग: drug/mixture; intoxicating preparation
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग
• Form: पुं., एक., (समासाङ्ग)

• सुरा: liquor, alcohol
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरा
• Form: स्त्री., एक., (समासाङ्ग)

• मत्तान्: intoxicated
• Type: Participle
• Root: मद्
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुं., बहु., द्वितीया; ‘योगसुरामत्तान्’ = योग/सुरा से मत्त

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय

• ग्राहयेयुः: they should cause (them) to be seized/arrested
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (णिच्)
• Form: लिङ् (विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग: ‘cause to seize/arrest’

Entities Mentioned

• state officers (arresting agents)
• suspected offenders
• gambling houses

More Details

FAQs

What operational setting does Kautilya recommend for identifying suspects in this sutra?

Moments of vulnerability—fatigue during travel (sleeping from exhaustion) and intoxication at gambling venues—where suspects can be safely seized and checked.

What is the administrative intent behind mentioning 'drugged liquor' (yoga-surā)?

It signals controlled incapacitation/decoy tactics at regulated vice locations to facilitate arrest and verification, reflecting proactive policing.