Sutra 9

Devanagari script

तमेव सशोणितदंशं सर्पकीटहतं विद्यात् ॥ कZ_०४.७.०९ ॥

Transliteration

tam eva saśoṇitadaṃśaṃ sarpakīṭahataṃ vidyāt

Translation

That same condition, when accompanied by a bleeding bite-mark, should be identified as death caused by a snake or insect.

Word by Word

• तम्: him/that person
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; एकवचन; द्वितीया; पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सन्दर्भे पुरुषः)

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Particle
• Root: एव
• Form: निपात; अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• स-शोणित-दंशम्: having a bite/wound with blood (i.e., a bloodied bite-mark)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दंश
• Form: समासपद; पुल्लिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; विशेषणम् (तम् इति)

• सर्प-कीट-हतम्: killed/struck by a snake or insect
• Type: Participle (Verbal adjective)
• Root: हन्
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुल्लिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; विशेषणम् (तम् इति)

• विद्यात्: one should know/should ascertain
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (ज्ञाने)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (आज्ञा/विधान); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

Entities Mentioned

• snake
• insect

More Details

FAQs

Why does Kautilya separate poison from snakebite?

Because culpability and enforcement differ: poisoning implies human agency; envenomation may imply accident or negligence, changing legal handling.