Arthashastra — Adhyakshaprachara, Sutra 15

Devanagari script

यः समुदयं द्विगुणमुद्भावयति स जनपदं भक्षयति ॥ कZ_०२.९.१५ ॥

Transliteration

yaḥ samudayaṃ dviguṇam udbhāvayati sa janapadaṃ bhakṣayati

Translation

যে রাজস্বের দাবি কৃত্রিমভাবে দ্বিগুণ করে, সে কার্যত জনপদকে গ্রাস করে (অত্যাচারী শোষণ করে)।

Word by Word

• यः: who (he who)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: sarvanāma-prātipadika; puṃliṅga; prathamā-vibhakti; ekavacana

• समुदयम्: revenue, total income
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुदय
• Form: puṃliṅga; dvitīyā-vibhakti; ekavacana; karma (object) of ud-bhāvayati

• द्विगुणम्: twofold; doubled
• Type: Adjective (numeral-based)
• Root: द्वि + गुण
• Form: napuṃsakaliṅga; dvitīyā-vibhakti; ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of samudayam (as predicate/object-complement: ‘to double’)

• उद्भावयति: causes to increase; raises; makes (it) double
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + √भू (भवति) [causative: भावयति]
• Form: laṭ-lakāra (present); parasmaipada; prathama-puruṣa; ekavacana; causative (ṇij) sense: ‘causes to become/raises’

• सः: he (that person)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: sarvanāma-prātipadika; puṃliṅga; prathamā-vibhakti; ekavacana; correlating with yaḥ

• जनपदम्: the country/province; the people and territory
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनपद
• Form: puṃliṅga; dvitīyā-vibhakti; ekavacana; karma (object) of bhakṣayati

• भक्षयति: devours; destroys; impoverishes
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भक्ष्
• Form: laṭ-lakāra (present); parasmaipada; prathama-puruṣa; ekavacana

Entities Mentioned

• janapada (people/territory)
• revenue administration

More Details

FAQs

What abuse is targeted by this sutra?

Inflating assessments/collections beyond lawful rates—an extortionary practice that harms economic base and public welfare.

Why is it framed as 'eating the janapada'?

Because excessive extraction destroys productivity and loyalty, undermining the state’s long-term revenue capacity and stability.