Kantakashodhana Adhyaya 9 Sutra 18 - Arthashastra | Assamese | Vedapath

Kautilya

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Sutra 18

Devanagari script

धर्मस्थः प्रदेष्टा वा हैरण्यदण्डमदण्ड्ये क्षिपति क्षेपद्विगुणमस्मै दण्डं कुर्यात् हीनातिरिक्ताष्टगुणं वा ॥ कZ_०४.९.१८ ॥

Transliteration

dharmasthaḥ pradeṣṭā vā hairaṇyadaṇḍamadaṇḍye kṣipati kṣepadviguṇamasmai daṇḍaṃ kuryāt hīnātiriktāṣṭaguṇaṃ vā

Translation

বিচাৰক বা প্ৰদেশ্টা (কাৰ্যনির্বাহী বিষয়া) দণ্ডযোগ্য নহয় এনে ব্যক্তিৰ ওপৰত ধনদণ্ড আৰোপ কৰিলে, তেওঁৰ ওপৰত ভুলকৈ আৰোপিত দণ্ডৰ দ্বিগুণ দণ্ড হ’ব; অথবা য’ত অংক কম/বেছি ধাৰ্য হৈছে, তাত সেই ঘাটতি/অতিৰিক্তৰ তুলনাত আঠগুণ দণ্ড প্ৰযোজ্য হ’ব।

Word by Word

धर्मस्थःthe judge / officer presiding over justice

प्रदेष्टाthe pradeṣṭṛ (an appointed officer)

वाor

हैरण्यदण्डम्a monetary fine

अदण्ड्येin the case of one who is not punishable / not liable to a fine

क्षिपतिimposes / throws (a fine)

क्षेपद्विगुणम्double the amount of the (wrongful) imposition

अस्मैto him (i.e., to that officer)

दण्डम्a penalty

कुर्यात्should impose / should make (i.e., should levy)

हीनातिरिक्ताष्टगुणम्(a penalty) eightfold, for (wrongly) reducing or increasing (the due amount)

वाor

Entities Mentioned

dharmastha

pradeṣṭā

non-liable citizen

FAQs

What is the deterrence logic in ‘double’ or ‘eightfold’ penalties for officials?

To make abuse of fining power unprofitable and risk-dominant, preventing fines from becoming a revenue-by-coercion tool.