Sutra 25

Devanagari script

चोरं त्वभयपूर्वं कर्मणः प्रत्यंशेन ग्राहयेद्दद्यात्प्रत्यंशमभयं च ॥ कZ_०३.१४.२५ ॥

Transliteration

coraṃ tvabhayapūrvaṃ karmaṇaḥ pratyaṃśena grāhayet dadyāt pratyaṃśam abhayaṃ ca

Translation

但对盗贼应先以安全保证加以诱导：令其按罪行比例归还所盗之数，并相应给予安全保障。

Word by Word

• चोरम्: the thief
• Type: Noun
• Root: चोर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Particle
• Root: तु
• Form: निपात; विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• अभयपूर्वम्: with a prior assurance of safety
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभय-पूर्व
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (ग्रहण-क्रियायाः प्रकारः)

• कर्मणः: of the act (offence)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-एकवचन (अपादान/सम्बन्धार्थे)

• प्रत्यंशेन: by a proportional share
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति-अंश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचन; करण/प्रकारार्थे

• ग्राहयेत्: should cause (him) to be seized/arrested
• Type: Verb (Causative)
• Root: ग्रह् (ग्रहण)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (आज्ञार्थ/विध्यर्थ); परस्मैपद; तृतीय-पुरुष; एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (कारयति)

• दद्यात्: should give
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दान)
• Form: विधिलिङ्; परस्मैपद; तृतीय-पुरुष; एकवचन

• प्रत्यंशम्: a proportional share
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति-अंश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; कर्म (दद्यात्)

• अभयम्: safety/immunity
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभय
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; कर्म (दद्यात्)

• च: and
• Type: Conjunction
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थ

Entities Mentioned

• thief
• state authority (implicit)

More Details

FAQs

Why offer abhaya (safety) to a thief?

To prioritize recovery/restoration by inducing cooperation before escalating punishment.

What is the governing principle of the recovery amount?

Proportionality—restoration is calibrated to the offence/act (pratyaṃśa).