Chapter 2.26 turns wild produce into a state-managed, auditable resource by licensing extraction, protecting Abhayavana sanctuaries, and policing meat markets to grow the kośa without eroding legitimacy. Wild produce is treated as a governable revenue domain, not a commons. Lawful killing/capture is “licensed” and taxed through fixed shares and duties (ṣaḍbhāga/daśabhāga/śulka). Unauthorized capture and predatory extraction are penalized to deter revenue leakage and disorder. Abhayavana sanctuaries preserve valuable/auspicious species and ecological-ritual order. Market controls target spoilage, mutilation, and false weights to prevent fraud and public anger. Stable revenue and credible enforcement serve larger state aims: army readiness and diplomatic power.
Sutra 1
मध्यमम् ॥ कZ_०२.२६.०१ ॥
Moderate (rate/grade).
Sutra 2
अप्रवृत्तवधानां मत्स्यपक्षिणां बन्धवधहिंसायां पादोनसप्तविंशतिपणमत्ययं कुर्यात्मृगपशूनां द्विगुणम् ॥ कZ_०२.२६.०२ ॥
For fish and birds whose killing is not permitted, for their capture, killing, or injury he shall impose a fine of twenty-six and a quarter paṇas; for game and animals, twice that.
Sutra 3
प्रवृत्तहिंसानामपरिगृहीतानां षड्भागं गृह्णीयात्मत्स्यपक्षिणां दशभागं वाधिकं मृगपशूनां शुल्कं वाधिकम् ॥ कZ_०२.२६.०३ ॥
In the case of animals for which harm is permitted and which are not already claimed (as private property), he shall take a one-sixth share; for fish and birds, a one-tenth share; for game and animals, an additional duty.
Sutra 4
पक्षिमृगाणां जीवत् षड्भागमभयवनेषु प्रमुञ्चेत् ॥ कZ_०२.२६.०४ ॥
He should release one-sixth of captured birds and wild animals alive into the sanctuaries (abhayavanas).
Sutra 5
सामुद्रहस्त्यश्वपुरुषवृषगर्दभाकृतयो मत्स्याः सारसा नादेयास्तटाककुल्योद्भवा वा क्रौञ्चोत्क्रोशकदात्यूहहंसचक्रवाकजीवञ्जीवकभृङ्गराजचकोरमत्तकोकिलमयूरशुकमदनशारिका विहारपक्षिणो मङ्गल्याश्चान्येऽपि प्राणिनः पक्षिमृगा हिंसाबाधेभ्यो रक्ष्याः ॥ कZ_०२.२६.०५ ॥
Marine fish (including those shaped like elephants, horses, humans, bulls, or donkeys), sārasas, river-fish, and those arising from tanks and canals; and birds such as krauñca, utkrośaka, dātyūha, haṃsa, cakravāka, jīvañjīva, bhṛṅgarāja, cakora, matta-kokila, mayūra, śuka, madana, śārikā—recreational birds, auspicious creatures, and other beings among birds and wild animals—are to be protected from injury and harassment.
Sutra 6
रक्षातिक्रमे पूर्वः साहसदण्डः ॥ कZ_०२.२६.०६ ॥
For violating protection (rules), the ‘first’ sāhasa-penalty (lowest grade of violent-offence fine) applies.
Sutra 7
मृगपशूनामनस्थिमांसं सद्योहतं विक्रीणीरन् ॥ कZ_०२.२६.०७ ॥
They may sell only boneless meat of wild animals, and only when freshly slaughtered.
Sutra 8
अस्थिमतः प्रतिपातं दद्युः ॥ कZ_०२.२६.०८ ॥
For meat sold with bones, they shall give a compensatory allowance (rebate/offset).
Sutra 9
तुलाहीने हीनाष्टगुणम् ॥ कZ_०२.२६.०९ ॥
If the weighing scale is deficient, the penalty is eight times the deficiency.
Sutra 10
वत्सो वृषो धेनुश्चैषामवध्याः ॥ कZ_०२.२६.१० ॥
Among these, the calf, the bull, and the milch-cow are not to be killed.
Sutra 11
घ्नतः पञ्चाशत्को दण्डः क्लिष्टघातं घातयतश्च ॥ कZ_०२.२६.११ ॥
For killing (them), the fine is fifty (paṇas); and likewise for causing a painful/crippling injury to be inflicted.
Sutra 12
परिशूनमशिरःपादास्थि विगन्धं स्वयं मृतं च न विक्रीणीरन् ॥ कZ_०२.२६.१२ ॥
They shall not sell meat that is emaciated/defective, or lacking head/feet/bones, or foul-smelling, or from an animal that died on its own.
Sutra 13
अन्यथा द्वादशपणो दण्डः ॥ कZ_०२.२६.१३ ॥
Otherwise (for contravention), the fine is twelve paṇas.
Sutra 14
अन्यत्र गुप्तिस्थानेभ्यो वधबन्धमवाप्नुयुः ॥ कZ_०२.२६.१४च्द् ॥
—if found anywhere other than the secured custody-places, they shall incur execution or imprisonment.
Predictable revenue without ecological depletion; reduced cruelty and disorder from unregulated hunting; protection of auspicious/valuable species; higher public trust via clean markets and honest weights, stabilizing the janapada and sustaining the kośa.
For unauthorized capture/killing: fines such as pādonasaptaviṃśati-paṇa atyaya for fish/birds and double for game/animals; for protected-species violations: the prior sāhasadaṇḍa; for slaughter of calf, bull, cow (avadhya): 50 paṇas; for selling prohibited meat (mutilated, head/feet/bone-removed, foul-smelling, self-dead carcass): 12 paṇas; for underweight sale: deficiency punished eightfold (hīnāṣṭaguṇa).