Kantakashodhana Adhyaya 8 Sutra 28 - Arthashastra | English | Vedapath

Kautilya

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Sutra 28

Devanagari script

तस्याभिशस्ताङ्को ललाटे स्याद्व्यवहारपतनाय स्तेयो श्वा मनुष्यवधे कबन्धः गुरुतल्पे भगं सुरापाने मद्यध्वजः ॥ कZ_०४.८.२८ ॥

Transliteration

tasyābhiśastāṅko lalāṭe syād vyavahārapatanāya steyo śvā manuṣyavadhe kabandhaḥ gurutalpe bhagaṃ surāpāne madyadhvajaḥ

Translation

For him (a Brahmin offender), a mark of condemnation shall be made on the forehead, causing loss of civil standing: for theft, a dog; for killing a man, a headless trunk; for violating the teacher’s bed, the female organ; for drinking liquor, a banner of wine.

Word by Word

तस्यof him/of that (person)

अभिशस्तdenounced/accused

अङ्कःa mark/brand

ललाटेon the forehead

स्यात्should be / is to be

व्यवहार(of) a lawsuit/legal proceeding

पतनायfor downfall/ruin

स्तेयःtheft / a thief (as offence-mark category)

श्वा(mark:) a dog

मनुष्यof a human

वधेin (the case of) killing

कबन्धः(mark:) a headless trunk

गुरुof a guru/elder

तल्पेin (the matter of) the bed

भगम्(mark:) the female genital (vulva)

सुराin liquor

पानेin drinking

मद्यliquor/intoxicant

ध्वजः(mark:) a banner/flag

Entities Mentioned

brāhmaṇa

guru (teacher)

FAQs

How does the text punish Brahmin offenders without corporal torment?

By compulsory public stigma (forehead branding) that removes legal-social credibility (‘vyavahārapatana’) and signals the offense type.

What is the administrative function of offense-specific symbols?

Rapid public identification, reputational sanction, and deterrence without physical coercion.