Arthashastra 3.13.21: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 13, Sutra 21

Devanagari script

दासमनुरूपेण निष्क्रयेणार्यमकुर्वतो द्वादशपणो दण्डः संरोधश्चाकरणात् ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.13.21

Transliteration

dāsam anurūpeṇa niṣkrayeṇāryam akurvato dvādaśapaṇo daṇḍaḥ saṃrodhaś cākaraṇāt

Translation

Wenn jemand den dāsa nach Erhalt des verhältnismäßigen Lösegeldes (niṣkraya) nicht zum ārya macht (d. h. die Freilassung verweigert), beträgt die Strafe zwölf paṇas sowie Haft/Verwahrung (saṃrodha) wegen Nichtbefolgung.

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Word by Word

• दासम्: a slave / bonded servant
• Type: Noun
• Root: दास
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन

• अनुरूपेण: in accordance (with what is proper/appropriate)
• Type: Adjective (used adverbially)
• Root: अनुरूप
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (‘in accordance with’)

• निष्क्रयेण: by/with the redemption price; by paying the buyout
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्क्रय
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचन; साधन/हेतु-करण

• आर्यम्: a free man / an Arya (free person)
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: आर्य
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; कर्म

• अकुर्वतः: of (him) not doing / not making (him)
• Type: Verb (participle)
• Root: कृ
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ); परस्मैपदी; षष्ठी-एकवचन; ‘of one who does not do/make’ (नञ्-प्रत्ययेन निषेध)

• द्वादशपणः: (a fine) of twelve paṇas
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशपण
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; विशेषण (दण्डस्य)

• दण्डः: punishment; fine
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन

• संरोधः: confinement; imprisonment
• Type: Noun
• Root: संरोध
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; दण्डसह-समुच्चित

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• अकरणात्: because of non-performance / for not doing (it)
• Type: Noun (action-noun)
• Root: अकरण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-एकवचन; हेतौ (‘because of’)

Entities Mentioned

• owner/master
• dāsa
• state/jailer (implicit)

More Details

FAQs

What governance mechanism is used to ensure manumission?

A combined sanction: monetary fine plus coercive detention for refusal to execute the legally required status change.

What abuse does this prevent?

Owners accepting redemption money but continuing to hold the person in bondage.