Arthashastra 3.2.3: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 2, Sutra 3

Devanagari script

सहधर्मचर्या प्राजापत्यः ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.2.3

Transliteration

sahadharmacaryā prājāpatyaḥ

Translation

زواج البراجابَتْيا (Prājāpatya) هو (اتحاد يتكوّن عبر) التعهّد بأداء الدارما معًا (الواجب الديني–الأسري المشترك).

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Word by Word

• सहधर्मचर्या: cohabitation/companionship in accordance with dharma (joint performance of marital duties)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर् (चरति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; समासः: सह + धर्म + चर्या (धर्मेण/धर्मस्य सह चर्या = ‘धर्मसहित आचरण/सहवास’).
• Compound: तत्पुरुष (सह-तत्पुरुष)
• In statecraft: विवाह-प्रकारे ‘धर्मसहित सहजीवन/सहधर्मपालन’ इति विवाहस्य स्वरूप-लक्षणम्।

• प्राजापत्यः: the Prājāpatya (type of marriage)
• Type: Adjective (used as noun)
• Root: प्रजापति (नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; ‘प्राजापत्य’ (प्रजापतेरपत्यं/सम्बन्धी) इति तद्धित-विशेषणम्; अत्र विवाह-प्रकारस्य नाम।
• In statecraft: प्राजापत्य-विवाहः—विवाहानां भेदेषु एकः; ‘सहधर्मचर्या’ इत्यनेन लक्षणितः।

Sandhi Notes

• सहधर्मचर्या इति समासरूपम्
• पदच्छेदः: सह + धर्म + चर्या
• ‘प्राजापत्यः’ स्वतंत्रं पदम्

Entities Mentioned

• prājāpatya vivāha
• dharma [as duty]

Topic and Governance

Prakarana (topic)

Marriage forms: Prājāpatya

Governance domain

Civil law (family law), marital obligations

Vocabulary Breakdown

Technical Terms

FAQs

What administrative idea is embedded in defining marriage as shared dharma-practice?

It frames marriage as an enforceable bundle of duties, supporting adjudication of neglect, abandonment, maintenance, and household responsibility.