Sutra 24

Devanagari script

प्रसह्य कन्यामपहरतो द्विशतः ससुवर्णामुत्तमः ॥ कZ_०४.१२.२४ ॥

Transliteration

prasahya kanyām apaharato dviśataḥ sa-suvarṇām uttamaḥ

Translation

جو کسی کنواری لڑکی کو زبردستی اغوا کرے، اس پر اعلیٰ ترین جرمانہ دو سو پن ہے، اور ساتھ ایک سُوَرن (سونے کا سکہ) بھی۔

Word by Word

• प्रसह्य: forcibly, by force
• Type: Avyaya (Gerund)
• Root: सह्
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त), उपसर्ग: प्र-; अर्थे: बलात्/प्रबलतया कृत्वा

• कन्याम्: a maiden, unmarried girl
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• अपहरतः: of (a person) abducting / carrying off
• Type: Verb (Participle)
• Root: अप-हृ
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (genitive singular): ‘of one who is abducting/taking away’

• द्विशतः: two hundred (as the fine)
• Type: Numeral (used as Noun)
• Root: द्वि-शत
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; दण्डराशिः (fine-amount)

• ससुवर्णाम्: together with a suvarṇa (gold coin)
• Type: Adjective (used with implied noun ‘दण्डाम्/राशिम्’)
• Root: स- + सुवर्ण
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘स’ = सह (with) + ‘सुवर्ण’ (gold coin) → ‘with (an additional) suvarṇa’

• उत्तमः: the highest (grade of punishment/fine)
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; दण्डविशेषणम्—‘उत्तमः (दण्डः)’

Entities Mentioned

• maiden (kanyā)
• abductor
• state

More Details

FAQs

What makes 4.12.24 an ‘uttama’ (highest) penalty within this cluster?

The offence involves forceful abduction, a direct threat to personal security and public order, warranting the top graded fine plus an added gold payment.

What is the deterrence design here?

Escalation: consensual cases draw low fines, non-consent and fraud draw higher fines, and violent abduction triggers the highest sanction.