Sutra 28

Devanagari script

अपत्यदारं मातापितरौ भ्रातृऋनप्राप्तव्यवहारान्भगिनीः कन्या विधवाश्चाबिभ्रतः शक्तिमतो द्वादशपणो दण्डः अन्यत्र पतितेभ्यः अन्यत्र मातुः ॥ कZ_०२.०१.२८ ॥

Transliteration

apatya-dāraṃ mātā-pitarau bhrātṛ-ṛṇa-prāpta-vyavahārān bhaginīḥ kanyā vidhavāś cābibhṛrataḥ śaktimataḥ dvādaśa-paṇo daṇḍaḥ anyatra patitebhyaḥ anyatra mātuḥ

Translation

凡有能力而不赡养其子女与妻、父母、（有权受养时的）兄弟、依法享有请求权之债权人，并且亦不供养其姊妹、未婚之女与寡妇者，罚十二帕那；但对已被放逐/堕落为贱民者除外，且母亲除外（不得排除）。

Word by Word

• अपत्यदारम्: children and wife
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपत्य; दार
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; ‘अपत्य’ + ‘दार’ समाहार/इतरइतरे द्वन्द्वः; कर्मपदम् (भरणविषयः)

• माता: mother
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (समुच्चयार्थे सूची)

• पितरौ: (the) father (two-form used with माता in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्विवचन, प्रथमा

• भ्रातॄन्: brothers
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, द्वितीया

• अप्राप्तव्यवहारान्: those who have not attained legal/transactional capacity
• Type: Adjective (compound)
• Root: प्राप्; व्यवहार
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, द्वितीया; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः: ‘अप्राप्त’ (न प्राप्तः) + ‘व्यवहार’ (व्यवहारः/व्यवहार-योग्यता) → ‘अप्राप्तव्यवहार’ = येषां व्यवहारः (स्वतन्त्र-व्यवहार-योग्यता) न प्राप्तः

• भगिनीः: sisters
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगिनी
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, द्वितीया

• कन्याः: unmarried girls/daughters
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, द्वितीया

• विधवाः: widows
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधवा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, द्वितीया

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• अबिभ्रतः: of one who does not maintain (them)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ
• Form: लट्-लकार/वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त-प्रयोगः; ‘अ’ उपसर्ग? (निषेध/अभावार्थे) + बिभ्रत् (भृ धातोः शतृ-प्रत्ययः) → ‘अबिभ्रत्’ (न बिभ्रत्) ; षष्ठी-सम्बन्धे/कर्तरि: ‘(तस्य) अबिभ्रतः’ = ‘not maintaining’ (genitive singular of present participle used substantively)

• शक्तिमतः: of a capable/able (person)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्तिमत्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, षष्ठी; विशेषणम् (अबिभ्रतः)

• द्वादशपणः: (a) twelve-paṇa (amount)
• Type: Noun (compound numeral)
• Root: द्वादश; पण
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; ‘द्वादश’ + ‘पण’ (मूल्य-एकक)

• दण्डः: penalty/fine
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; विधेयपदम्

• अन्यत्र: except
• Type: Adverb
• Root: अन्यत्र
• Form: अपवादार्थक अव्यय (‘except/otherwise than’)

• पतितेभ्यः: (in the case of) outcastes / those fallen (from status)
• Type: Noun/Adjective (past participle used substantively)
• Root: पतित
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, पञ्चमी/षष्ठी?; ‘अन्यत्र’ इत्यस्य योगे पञ्चमी बहुधा: ‘पतितेभ्यः’ = ‘from/than the fallen’ (i.e., except in case of outcastes)

• अन्यत्र: except
• Type: Adverb
• Root: अन्यत्र
• Form: अपवादार्थक अव्यय

• मातुः: (the) mother
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, षष्ठी/पञ्चमी; ‘अन्यत्र’ इत्यस्य योगे पञ्चमी-भावः: ‘मातुः’ = ‘(except) from/than the mother’ (i.e., mother is an exception to the exception)

Entities Mentioned

• capable householder (implicit)
• children
• wife
• parents
• brother
• creditors
• sister
• unmarried daughter
• widows
• rājā (as enforcer, implied)

More Details

FAQs

What is the political logic of fining neglect of dependents?

It converts household welfare into enforceable public policy: preventing destitution that would otherwise burden the state and destabilize social order.

Why mention creditors alongside family dependents?

Because honoring legally due claims sustains trust in transactions; credit discipline is treated as a pillar of economic governance.