Arthashastra — Adhyakshaprachara, Sutra 16

Devanagari script

स चेद् राजार्थमुपनयत्यल्पापराधे वारयितव्यः महति यथापराधं दण्डयितव्यः ॥ कZ_०२.९.१६ ॥

Transliteration

sa ced rājārtham upanayaty alpāparādhe vārayitavyaḥ mahati yathāparādhaṃ daṇḍayitavyaḥ

Translation

আর যদি সে (অতিরিক্ত আদায়) রাজার হিসাবে জমা দেয়, তবে সামান্য অপরাধে তাকে নিবৃত্ত/সতর্ক করতে হবে; গুরুতর হলে অপরাধানুযায়ী দণ্ড দিতে হবে।

Word by Word

• सः: he (that person)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: sarvanāma; prathamā-vibhakti; ekavacana; pumliṅga

• चेत्: if
• Type: Particle
• Root: चेत्
• Form: avyaya; conditional particle

• राजार्थम्: for the king’s purpose / for state business
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज + अर्थ
• Form: napuṃsakaliṅga; dvitīyā-vibhakti; ekavacana; (rājñaḥ arthaḥ iti)

• उपनयति: brings (it) forward / submits (him/it)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-नी
• Form: laṭ-lakāra; prathama-puruṣa; ekavacana; parasmaipada; bhvādi? (causative not intended); meaning ‘to bring/submit/introduce’

• अल्पापराधे: in (the case of) a minor offence
• Type: Noun
• Root: अल्प + अपराध
• Form: puṃliṅga; saptamī-vibhakti; ekavacana; locative of condition (‘in case of a minor offence’)

• वारयितव्यः: should be restrained / prevented
• Type: Verbal adjective (Gerundive)
• Root: वार् (वृ/वारयति)
• Form: kṛtya-pratyaya -तव्य; puṃliṅga; prathamā-vibhakti; ekavacana; passive obligation; agrees with ‘सः’

• महति: in (the case of) a grave (offence)
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: महत्
• Form: saptamī-vibhakti; ekavacana; (puṃ/napuṃ) locative; ‘in a great (offence)’

• यथा-अपराधम्: according to the offence / proportionately
• Type: Avyayībhāva (adverbial compound)
• Root: यथा + अपराध
• Form: avyaya; adverbial sense ‘according to the offence’

• दण्डयितव्यः: should be punished
• Type: Verbal adjective (Gerundive)
• Root: दण्ड् (दण्डयति)
• Form: kṛtya-pratyaya -तव्य; puṃliṅga; prathamā-vibhakti; ekavacana; passive obligation; agrees with ‘सः’

Entities Mentioned

• king/treasury
• official

More Details

FAQs

Does remitting extra collections to the treasury excuse the act?

No. Even if credited to the king, unlawful over-collection remains an offense; only the response is graded by severity.

What enforcement model is implied?

A graduated model: warning/cessation orders for minor violations, punitive sanctions for serious abuses.