Sutra 18

Devanagari script

विक्रान्तं तत्रैव घातयेत्पितृघातकोऽयमिति ॥ कZ_०५.१.१८ ॥

Transliteration

vikrāntaṃ tatraiva ghātayet pitṛghātako 'yam iti.

Translation

Once he has acted decisively (in that plot), he should be killed on the spot, with the public claim: “This man is a patricide.”

Word by Word

• विक्रान्तम्: the one who has advanced/stepped forward; the bold/forward person (accusative object)
• Type: Participle/Adjective
• Root: वि-क्रम्
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; कर्मपद—‘विक्रान्तम् (पुरुषम्)’

• तत्र: there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• एव: indeed; just; precisely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• घातयेत्: he should have (him) killed; he should execute (him)
• Type: Verb
• Root: घातय् (णिच् of हन्)
• Form: लिङ् (विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative): ‘cause to be killed/execute’

• पितृघातकः: a father-killer; one who has killed his father
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ + घातक (from हन्/घात)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; ‘पितुः घातकः’

• अयम्: this (man)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा

• इति: thus; saying/with the words
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्यसमाप्ति/उद्धरणसूचक

Entities Mentioned

• the recruited claimant/agent
• public accusers/royal authority

More Details

FAQs

What is the function of the ‘patricide’ label?

It supplies a morally absolute justification that blocks sympathy, discredits any counter-narrative, and legitimizes immediate elimination without political cost.