Sutra 4

Devanagari script

श्रोतृऋणामेकैकं प्रत्यर्धदण्डाः ॥ कZ_०३.१.०४ ॥

Transliteration

śrotṛṛṇām ekaikaṃ praty ardhadaṇḍāḥ

Translation

对每一方 śrotṛ/ṛṇa 当事人，每人处以半额罚金（ardhadaṇḍa）。

Word by Word

• श्रोतृ-ऋणाम्: of the debts/dues owed to listeners (audience)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-बहुवचन; समासः—श्रोतॄणाम् (श्रोत्र्/श्रोतृ ‘श्रवणकर्ता/श्रोता’ इत्यस्य षष्ठी-बहुवचन) + ऋणाम् (ऋण ‘debt’ इत्यस्य षष्ठी-बहुवचन) → ‘श्रोतृऋणाम्’

• एकैकम्: each (one) individually; one by one
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; ‘एक + एक’ (पुनरुक्तिः) → ‘each singly/one by one’

• प्रति: per; for each
• Type: Particle/Preposition
• Root: प्रति
• Form: अव्यय; ‘per/for each’ अर्थे (विभक्त्यर्थ-निपातः)

• अर्ध-दण्डाः: half-fines (i.e., a fine amounting to half the standard penalty)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; समासः—अर्ध (half) + दण्ड (fine/punishment) → ‘half-fines’; विधेयपदम्

Entities Mentioned

• śrotṛ (hearer/witness/listener—role depends on context)
• ṛṇa (debtor/obligated party—role depends on context)

More Details

FAQs

What administrative logic lies behind prescribing half-fines per person for secondary roles?

It operationalizes proportionality: lesser involvement attracts lesser punishment, while the per-capita rule makes enforcement scalable and predictable.