Arthashastra 3.2.17: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 2, Sutra 17

Devanagari script

त्रिवर्षोपभुक्तं च धर्मिष्ठेषु विवाहेषु नानुयुञ्जीत ॥ कZ_०३.२.१७ ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.2.17

Transliteration

trivarṣopabhuktaṃ ca dharmiṣṭheṣu vivāheṣu nānuyuñjīta

Translation

In rechtmäßigen Ehen soll das, was drei Jahre lang genutzt/genossen wurde, nicht eingeklagt oder zurückgefordert werden.

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Word by Word

• त्रिवर्षोपभुक्तम्: (property/thing) enjoyed/possessed for three years
• Type: Participle (Verbal adjective)
• Root: उप√भुज् (भुज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; कृदन्त: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (उपभुक्त); समास: त्रिवर्षस्य उपभुक्तम् = ‘three-years-used/possessed’

• च: and
• Type: Particle (Conjunction)
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• धर्मिष्ठेषु: in lawful/legally proper (marriages)
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: धर्मिष्ठ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, सप्तमी; ‘धर्मिष्ठ’ = धर्म + इष्ठ (superlative sense: ‘most righteous/legally proper’)

• विवाहेषु: in marriages
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाह
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, सप्तमी

• न: not
• Type: Negation particle
• Root: न
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• अनुयुञ्जीत: should not sue/press a claim (should not call to account)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु√युज् (युज्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: युज्; उपसर्ग: अनु-; अर्थ: ‘to press/charge/call to account, to sue’

Entities Mentioned

• spouses
• courts

More Details

FAQs

What governance principle does this reflect?

Legal finality: after a defined period of settled enjoyment in a lawful marriage, reopening claims is discouraged to maintain stability and reduce court congestion.