Arthashastra 3.2.9: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 2, Sutra 9

Devanagari script

सुप्तमत्तादानात्पैशाचः ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.2.9

Transliteration

suptamattādānāt paiśācaḥ

Translation

إذا أُخذت/حُصِل على امرأة وهي نائمة أو مخمورة، فذلك يُعدّ صيغة Paiśāca (زواجًا «ملوّثًا» بطابع إجرامي).

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Word by Word

• सुप्त: asleep
• Type: Participle (Verbal adjective)
• Root: स्वप्
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), प्रथमा-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (विशेषण/विशेष्य-भावे); ‘सुप्तः’ = asleep

• मत्त: intoxicated
• Type: Participle (Verbal adjective)
• Root: मद्
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), प्रथमा-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (विशेषण); ‘मत्तः’ = intoxicated

• आदानात्: from (the act of) taking away / appropriation
• Type: Noun (Action noun)
• Root: आ + दा
• Form: भाववाचक-नाम (आदान ‘taking/appropriation’), पञ्चमी-एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; अपादान/हेतु-अर्थे ‘from/through taking (away)’

• पैशाचः: a ‘paiśāca’ type (thief/robber category)
• Type: Noun (Agent/label)
• Root: पिशाच
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; विशेष-प्रयोगः—चौर/अपराधी-भेद-नाम

Entities Mentioned

• woman (bride)
• man (taker/offender)

More Details

FAQs

What administrative purpose is served by defining Paiśāca marriage?

It creates a legal category for unions formed through non-consensual taking, enabling courts to assign penalties and property consequences distinctly from lawful marriages.