Arthashastra 3.13.16: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 13, Sutra 16

Devanagari script

तेनोदरदासाहितकौ व्याख्यातौ ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.13.16

Transliteration

tenodaradāsāhitakau vyākhyātau

Translation

وبهذا المبدأ، تُفسر حالات عبد البطن - الذي يخدم لقوته - والمُلزم بموجب سلف أو وديعة أو التزام.

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Word by Word

• तेन: by that; thereby; with that (method/means)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; तृतीया-एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (instrumental sg. of tad)

• उदरदास: a ‘belly-slave’, i.e., a person compelled by hunger/need to serve for food
• Type: Noun
• Root: दास
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-द्विवचन (as part of predicate with व्याख्यातौ); compound: उदरस्य दासः = one who is a slave for his belly (i.e., for food)

• आहितक: a maintained/retained dependent (a person kept in service/support)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहितक
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-द्विवचन (paired with उदरदास; predicate with व्याख्यातौ)

• व्याख्यातौ: (the two) have been explained/defined
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-आ-ख्या
• Form: लिट् (परिप्रयोगे/भूतार्थे); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष-द्विवचन; ‘have been explained/defined’

Entities Mentioned

• udaradāsa
• āhitaka
• judicial authority (implicit)

More Details

FAQs

What does ‘tena … vyākhyātau’ signal as a legal technique?

Extension by analogy: once a rule is stated, closely related categories are brought under the same rule to reduce loopholes and litigation.

Why classify dāsa-types administratively?

Classification standardizes judgments on redemption, penalties, and permissible transactions, improving predictability and enforcement.