Sutra 4

Devanagari script

कूटमुद्रायां पूर्वः साहसदण्डः तिरोजनपदस्योत्तमः ॥ कZ_०२.३४.०४ ॥

Transliteration

kūṭamudrāyāṃ pūrvaḥ sāhasadaṇḍaḥ tirojanapadasyottamaḥ

Translation

شاہی مہر کی جعل سازی میں پہلے بیان کردہ ساہسہ جرمانہ ہے؛ لیکن دوسرے ملک/جنپد میں داخل ہونے یا گزرنے کے لیے (جھوٹے اختیار کے ساتھ) مہر بنانے والے پر اعلیٰ ترین سزا نافذ کی جائے۔

Word by Word

• कूटमुद्रायाम्: in/with regard to a forged seal
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूटमुद्रा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी (अधिकरण)

• पूर्वः: the first (i.e., the lower/earlier grade)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; विशेषणम् (साहसदण्डः इत्यस्य)

• साहसदण्डः: the penalty prescribed for ‘sāhasa’ (violent/forcible offence)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; साहसस्य दण्डः

• तिरोजनपदस्य: of a foreign country/another realm
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिरोजनपद
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगानुसार), एकवचन, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध)

• उत्तमः: the highest (grade)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; विशेषणम् (साहसदण्डः इत्यस्य)

Entities Mentioned

• mudrā (seal)
• janapada (territory/state)
• daṇḍa (penalty)

More Details

FAQs

What administrative risk is Kautilya targeting by penalizing kūṭamudrā?

The risk that forged state authentication enables unauthorized movement, false orders, and cross-jurisdictional infiltration—undermining fiscal and security control.

Why is the penalty higher when the forgery facilitates entering another janapada?

Because it amplifies strategic harm: it enables espionage, desertion, illegal trade, and hostile penetration across borders, so deterrence must be maximal.