Sutra 5

Devanagari script

भिक्षुकवैदेहकौ मत्तोन्मत्तौ बलादापदि चातिसंनिकृष्टाः प्रवृत्तप्रवेशाश्चादण्ड्याः अन्यत्र प्रतिषेधात् ॥ कZ_०४.१३.०५ ॥

Transliteration

bhikṣukavaidehakau mattonmattau balādāpadi cātisaṃnikṛṣṭāḥ pravṛttapraveśāścādaṇḍyāḥ anyatra pratiṣedhāt

Translation

ভিক্ষুক ও বৈদেহক, মাতাল বা উন্মত্ত, বলপ্রয়োগে বাধ্য, বিপদে প্রবেশকারী, এবং অতিনিকটতার কারণে (ভুল/বাধ্যতায়) প্রবেশকারী—দণ্ডনীয় নয়; তবে যেখানে প্রবেশ স্পষ্টভাবে নিষিদ্ধ, সেখানে নয়।

Word by Word

• भिक्षुक: beggars
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्ष्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (समुच्चित-गणना)

• वैदेहकौ: the two Vaidehakas
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदेह
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-द्विवचन

• मत्त: intoxicated
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-द्विवचन (मत्त-उन्मत्तयोः विशेषणम्)

• उन्मत्तौ: insane
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उन्मद्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-द्विवचन

• बलात्: by force
• Type: Avyaya
• Root: बल
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; अर्थे—बलपूर्वकं/बलात्

• आपदि: in an emergency
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपद्
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-एकवचन; अर्थे—आपत्काले

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• अतिसंनिकृष्टाः: those who are very near (at hand)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सं-नि-कृष्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; कृदन्त-निष्ठा/क्त (संनिकृष्ट) उपसर्गैः ‘अति-सम्-नि-’; अर्थे—अत्यन्तं समीपस्थाः

• प्रवृत्तप्रवेशाः: those engaged in (making) entry / attempting entry
• Type: Noun (bahuvrihi adjective)
• Root: प्र-√वृत् / प्र-√विश्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; समासः—प्रवृत्तः (engaged/undertaking) + प्रवेशः (entry) → ‘प्रवृत्तप्रवेश’ = येषां प्रवेशः प्रवृत्तः/ये प्रवेशे प्रवृत्ताः

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• अदण्ड्याः: are not punishable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (अ- + दण्ड्य)

• अन्यत्र: except
• Type: Avyaya
• Root: अन्यत्र
• Form: देश/अपवादार्थक अव्यय; अर्थे—‘except/otherwise’

• प्रतिषेधात्: from (a) prohibition / if there is a prohibition
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति-√षिध्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-एकवचन; भाववाचक-नाम (प्रतिषेध)

Entities Mentioned

• beggars
• ascetics (vaidehaka)
• intoxicated persons
• mentally deranged persons
• coerced entrants
• disaster-affected entrants
• householders/authorities issuing prohibitions

More Details

FAQs

What administrative balance is Kautilya striking here?

He limits criminalization where intent and control are weak (madness, coercion, disaster), while preserving order by allowing punishment when a clear prohibition has been communicated.

What is the role of ‘pratiṣedha’ (explicit prohibition)?

It functions like notice: once entry is clearly forbidden, subsequent entry indicates disregard, justifying sanction.