Sutra 40

Devanagari script

काकणी चास्य पलवेतनम् ॥ कZ_०४.१.४० ॥

Transliteration

kākaṇī cāsya palavetanam

Translation

Und sein Lohn für Arbeit nach dem palā‑Maß beträgt eine kākaṇī.

Word by Word

• काकणी: a kākaṇī (a small coin / monetary unit)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काकणी
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (रूपं समानम्); द्रव्यवाचक-नाम (मुद्रा/मूल्य-एकक)

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• अस्य: of him/of this (i.e., his/its)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी एकवचन; पुं/नपुंसक-समासंग्राह्य (genitive singular)

• पलवेतनम्: the wage measured in palas / a wage of (so many) palas
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेतन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; समासः = पलस्य वेतनम् (genitive tatpuruṣa)

Entities Mentioned

• rūpadarśaka (assayer)

More Details

FAQs

Why would Kautilya fix a palā-based fee?

A weight-indexed fee ties payment to measurable throughput, limiting rent-seeking and making audits of officials’ earnings feasible.