Arthashastra 3.3.32: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 3, Sutra 32

Devanagari script

राजद्विष्टातिचाराभ्यामात्मापक्रमणेन च ।

स्त्रीधनानीतशुल्कानामस्वाम्यं जायते स्त्रियाः ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.3.32

Transliteration

rājadviṣṭa-aticārābhyām ātmāpakramaṇena ca

strīdhana-ānīta-śulkānām asvāmyam jāyate striyāḥ

Translation

Aufgrund von Feindschaft gegen den König, Übertretung und auch Selbstentziehung/Flucht (werden bestimmte Rechtsfähigkeiten oder Ansprüche beeinträchtigt). In solchen Fällen verliert die Frau das Eigentumsrecht an ihrem strīdhana sowie an dem śulka (Ehezahlung), das eingebracht/empfangen worden war.

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Word by Word

• राजद्विष्टातिचाराभ्याम्: by (the causes) ‘the king’s enemy’ and ‘transgression’
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज + द्विष् + अति√चर्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग? (समासपद as abstract cause) / तृतीया-द्विवचनम्; समासः: राज-द्विष्ट (राज्ञः द्विष्टः = king’s enemy) + अति-चार (अतिक्रम/अपराध); whole in instrumental dual ‘by/through (these) two: … and …’

• आत्मापक्रमणेन: by self-withdrawal / by withdrawing oneself (retreating)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् + अप√क्रम्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; तृतीया-एकवचनम्; समासः आत्म-अपक्रमण (स्वस्य अपक्रमणम् = withdrawal/retreat of oneself)

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (coordinative ‘and’)

• स्त्रीधन: woman’s property (strīdhana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासपद; ‘स्त्रियाः धनम्’ इति)

• आनीत: brought/received (as in ‘received fees’)
• Type: Participle
• Root: नी (आ + नी)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन; ‘आनीतानाम्’ = ‘brought/received’ (qualifying शुल्कानाम्)

• शुल्क: fees/price; (here) bride-price / marriage payment
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुल्क
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन; ‘शुल्कानाम्’

• अस्वाम्यम्: absence of ownership; no title/right of ownership
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाम्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘non-ownership / absence of title’

• जायते: arises; comes about
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन्
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘arises/comes into being’

• स्त्रियाः: of the woman
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन; ‘of the woman’ (genitive of possessor/relator)

Entities Mentioned

• king/state authority
• offender as rājadviṣṭa (enemy of the king)
• woman (holder of strīdhana)
• marital payment (śulka)

More Details

FAQs

What policy principle is implied by linking property/legal outcomes to loyalty?

The state treats political disloyalty and flight as aggravating conditions that can curtail private claims, reinforcing sovereign security over private entitlement.

How does this function as governance rather than mere morality?

By attaching property consequences to specified misconduct categories, the code uses civil disability as an enforcement tool—deterring destabilizing behavior through economic loss.