Arthashastra 3.13.3: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 13, Sutra 3

Devanagari script

म्लेच्छानामदोषः प्रजां विक्रेतुमाधातुं वा ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.13.3

Transliteration

mlecchānām adoṣaḥ prajāṃ vikretum ādhātuṃ vā

Translation

Bei den mleccha gilt es nicht als Vergehen, die eigenen Nachkommen/Leute zu verkaufen oder sie zu verpfänden (als Sicherheit).

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• म्लेच्छानाम्: of the mlecchas (foreign/non-Aryan people)
• Type: Noun
• Root: म्लेच्छ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-बहुवचन (gen. pl.)
• In statecraft: म्लेच्छ = आर्य-व्यवहार/धर्म-भाषा से भिन्न जन; व्यवहार-शास्त्रीय संदर्भ में ‘विदेशी/अ-आर्य’ समुदाय

• अदोषः: (it is) not a fault / no offence
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; नञ्-समास (अ- + दोष); प्रथमा-एकवचन (nom. sg.)
• In statecraft: अदोष = दण्डनीय/दोषार्ह न होना; विधिक ‘निर्दोषता/अपवाद’

• प्रजाम्: the subjects / populace
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (acc. sg.)
• In statecraft: प्रजा = राज्य-प्रजा/subjects (tax-paying populace)

• विक्रेतुम्: to sell
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + क्री
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (infinitive); ‘to sell’
• In statecraft: विक्रय = जन/व्यक्ति का विक्रय (दासत्व/व्यवहार-प्रसंग)

• आधातुम्: to place/settle/assign (them)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + धा
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (infinitive); ‘to place/assign/impose’
• In statecraft: आधातुं = (प्रजां) अन्यत्र स्थापयितुं/निवेशयितुं; राज्य-प्रशासन में ‘स्थानान्तरण/निवेश’ का भाव (संदर्भानुसार)

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय

Sandhi Notes

• म्लेच्छानामदोषः = म्लेच्छानाम् + अदोषः (म् + अ → म + अ; अनुस्वार/मकार-सन्धि)
• विक्रेतुमाधातुं = विक्रेतुम् + आधातुम् (म् + आ → म + आ; सन्धि से संयुक्त लेखन)

Entities Mentioned

• mlecchas
• dependents/offspring

Topic and Governance

Prakarana (topic)

Servitude among non-Arya groups (customary allowance)

Governance domain

Legal pluralism; customary law recognition; servitude norms

Vocabulary Breakdown

Technical Terms

FAQs

What administrative concept does this sutra illustrate?

Legal pluralism: the state recognizes differing customary norms for different communities, even on sensitive matters like servitude—though this sits uneasily with later restrictions in the same section.