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॥ श्री ॥tantraFor reading

Mahānirvāṇa Tantra 11.91

Traditional

Ullāsas
14
Verses
2517
Minutes
1258
Level
advanced

Ullāsa 11 · Verse 91

कूटसाक्षिणो दण्डःThe punishment of false witnesses

Verse 91

ये कूटसाक्षिणो मर्त्या मध्यस्था पक्षपातिनः । शास्यात्तांस्तीव्रदण्डेन देशान्निर्यापयेन्नृपः ॥ ९१ ॥

yē kūṭasākṣiṇō martyā madhyasthā pakṣapātinaḥ | śāsyāttāṁstīvradaṇḍēna dēśānniryāpayēnnṛpaḥ || 91 ||

Translation

Men who are false witnesses, and arbitrators who are partial, the king should punish with severe punishment and banish from the country.

Word by word

yē
those who
kūṭa
false
sākṣiṇaḥ
(sākṣiṇaḥ) witnesses
martyāḥ
(martyāḥ) men
madhyasthāḥ
(madhyasthāḥ) arbitrators
pakṣapātinaḥ
(pakṣapātinaḥ) partial
śāsyāt
should punish
tāṁs
(tān) them
tīvra
severe
daṇḍēna
with punishment
dēśāt
from the country
niryāpayēt
should banish
nṛpaḥ
(nṛpaḥ) the king

Meaning

Corruption of justice is grave.

Commentary

Hariharānanda Bhāratī’s Sanskrit commentary, translated

Now he tells the punishment of those who speak falsely as witnesses, and of partial arbitrators, with "ye" and the rest. People who are false witnesses (kūṭasākṣin), who speak falsely in testimony, and arbitrators (madhyastha) who are partial: the king should punish them with severe punishment and drive them out of the country.