Sutra 5

Devanagari script

भिक्षुकवैदेहकौ मत्तोन्मत्तौ बलादापदि चातिसंनिकृष्टाः प्रवृत्तप्रवेशाश्चादण्ड्याः अन्यत्र प्रतिषेधात् ॥ कZ_०४.१३.०५ ॥

Transliteration

bhikṣukavaidehakau mattonmattau balādāpadi cātisaṃnikṛṣṭāḥ pravṛttapraveśāścādaṇḍyāḥ anyatra pratiṣedhāt

Translation

Beggars and wandering ascetics (vaidehaka), the intoxicated or mentally deranged, those compelled by force, those entering in calamity, and those who enter due to extreme proximity (i.e., by mistake/necessity) are not punishable—unless entry was explicitly prohibited.

Word by Word

भिक्षुकbeggars

वैदेहकौthe two Vaidehakas

मत्तintoxicated

उन्मत्तौinsane

बलात्by force

आपदिin an emergency

चand

अतिसंनिकृष्टाःthose who are very near (at hand)

प्रवृत्तप्रवेशाःthose engaged in (making) entry / attempting entry

चand

अदण्ड्याःare not punishable

अन्यत्रexcept

प्रतिषेधात्from (a) prohibition / if there is a prohibition

Entities Mentioned

beggars

ascetics (vaidehaka)

intoxicated persons

mentally deranged persons

coerced entrants

disaster-affected entrants

householders/authorities issuing prohibitions

FAQs

What administrative balance is Kautilya striking here?

He limits criminalization where intent and control are weak (madness, coercion, disaster), while preserving order by allowing punishment when a clear prohibition has been communicated.

What is the role of ‘pratiṣedha’ (explicit prohibition)?

It functions like notice: once entry is clearly forbidden, subsequent entry indicates disregard, justifying sanction.