Kantakashodhana Adhyaya 9 Sutra 13 - Arthashastra | Bengali | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 13

Devanagari script

धर्मस्थश्चेद्विवदमानं पुरुषं तर्जयति भर्त्सयत्यपसारयत्यभिग्रसते वा पूर्वमस्मै साहसदण्डं कुर्यात् वाक्पारुष्ये द्विगुणम् ॥ कZ_०४.९.१३ ॥

Transliteration

dharmasthaścedvivadamānaṃ puruṣaṃ tarjayati bhartsayatyapasārayatyabhigrasate vā pūrvamasmai sāhasadaṇḍaṃ kuryāt vākpāruṣye dviguṇam

Translation

যদি বিচারক (ধর্মস্থ) কোনো বিবাদমান ব্যক্তিকে হুমকি দেয়, গালাগাল করে, সরিয়ে দেয়, বা ভয় দেখিয়ে চাপে ফেলে, তবে তাকে প্রথম-স্তরের সাহস-দণ্ড দিতে হবে; বাক্-পারুষ্যে (কঠোর/অপমানজনক বাক্যে) দণ্ড দ্বিগুণ হবে।

Word by Word

धर्मस्थःthe judge / judicial officer

चेत्if

विवदमानम्(a person) who is disputing / litigating

पुरुषम्a man/person (litigant)

तर्जयतिthreatens / intimidates

भर्त्सयतिrebukes / abuses

अपसारयतिdrives away / removes

अभिग्रसतेseizes / attacks / lays hands on

वाor

पूर्वम्beforehand / first

अस्मैto him

साहसदण्डम्the penalty for violence/assault (sāhasa-penalty)

कुर्यात्should impose / should make

वाक्पारुष्येin the case of verbal abuse

द्विगुणम्double / twofold

Entities Mentioned

dharmastha (judge)

litigant

FAQs

What administrative principle is implied here?

Courts must be non-intimidatory; abuse by adjudicators is itself a punishable offence to preserve legitimacy and access to justice.