Sutra 24

Devanagari script

मूषिककरं वा प्रयुञ्जीत ॥ कZ_०४.३.२४ ॥

Transliteration

mūṣikakaraṃ vā prayuñjīta

Translation

அல்லது எலிகள் கட்டுப்பாட்டிற்காக ‘மூஷிக-கரம்’ (எலி-வரி) விதிக்க வேண்டும்।

Word by Word

• मूषिककरम्: the ‘mouse/rat tax’ (a cess connected with controlling rats/mice)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूषिक; कर
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; समासः—मूषिकस्य करः (कर=कर/कर-रूपः करः=कर/कर-रूपः ‘कर’ here as ‘tax/levy’), तस्य कर्मपदत्वम्

• वा: or; alternatively
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपातः (‘or/alternatively’)

• प्रयुञ्जीत: should impose/levy; should apply (it)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (युजिर् योगे)
• Form: लिङ् (विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; उपसर्गः—प्र; अर्थः—‘प्रयोगं कुर्यात्/नियोजयेत्/आचरितव्यः’

Entities Mentioned

• tax administration
• population/taxpayers (implied)

More Details

FAQs

What is the policy rationale of a ‘mūṣikakara’?

Create a dedicated revenue stream for a specific public-good problem (protecting harvest and granaries from rodents).