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Shloka 15

An exposition of varṇa-dharma as taught by Yājñavalkya

Devanagari script

सकृत्प्रदीयते कन्या हरंस्तां चोरदण्डभाक् / अदुष्टां हि त्यजन्दण्ड्यः सुदुष्टां तु परित्यजेत्

Transliteration

sakṛtpradīyate kanyā haraṃstāṃ coradaṇḍabhāk / aduṣṭāṃ hi tyajandaṇḍyaḥ suduṣṭāṃ tu parityajet

Translation

కన్యను వివాహంలో ఒక్కసారే దానం చేయాలి; ఆమెను అపహరించేవాడు దొంగదండానికి పాత్రుడు. నిర్దోషిణి భార్యను విడిచేవాడు దండనీయం; అయితే అత్యంత దుష్ట భార్యను పరిత్యజించాలి।

Word by Word
सकृत्once
सकृत्:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसकृत् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (once)
प्रदीयतेis given (in marriage)
प्रदीयते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-√दा (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (is given)
कन्याthe maiden
कन्या:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
हरन्taking away/abducting
हरन्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Root√हृ (धातु)
Formवर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
ताम्her
ताम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
चोरदण्डभाक्liable to the punishment of a thief
चोरदण्डभाक्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootचोर (प्रातिपदिक) + दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + भाज्/भज् (कृदन्त; ‘भाक्’ = possessor/recipient)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चोरस्य दण्डः) + उपपद-समास (दण्डं भाक् = liable to punishment)
अदुष्टाम्a blameless (girl)
अदुष्टाम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootअदुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नञ्-समास (not wicked)
हिindeed
हि:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निपात (indeed/for)
त्यजन्abandoning
त्यजन्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Root√त्यज् (धातु)
Formवर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
दण्ड्यःpunishable
दण्ड्यः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootदण्ड्य (प्रातिपदिक; gerundive/obligatory adj from √दण्ड्/दण्ड ‘to punish’)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (one who should be punished)
सुदुष्टाम्a very wicked (girl)
सुदुष्टाम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootसुदुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सु + दुष्ट = very wicked)
तुbut
तु:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विरोध/विभेदक निपात (but/however)
परित्यजेत्should abandon/renounce
परित्यजेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootपरि-√त्यज् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in dialogue with Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Marriage-giving is singular and protected; abduction is theft-like; abandoning an innocent spouse is punishable, while separation from a thoroughly wicked spouse is permitted.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as social-ethical order; discernment (viveka) in applying rules to protect the innocent and restrain harm.

Application: Respect marital consent and legal processes; do not desert faithful partners; where severe harm/immorality exists, pursue lawful separation with due process.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana dharma passages on marriage conduct and penalties (general parallel motifs)

FAQs

This verse frames marriage as a one-time sacred transfer (kanyā-dāna) and treats unlawful taking as a serious offense, emphasizing social and ethical order as part of dharma.

Indirectly, it links moral conduct—especially sexual and marital ethics—to culpability and punishment, a recurring Garuda Purana theme where adharma leads to suffering and karmic consequences.

Respect consent and lawful marriage norms; do not abandon a faithful partner unjustly, while recognizing that separation may be ethically justified in cases of severe harmful conduct.

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