Sutra 18

Devanagari script

आचार्या विद्यावन्तश्च पूजावेतनानि यथार्हं लभेरन्पञ्चशतावरं सहस्रपरम् ॥ कZ_०५.३.१८ ॥

Transliteration

ācāryā vidyāvantaś ca pūjāvetanāni yathārhaṃ labheran pañcaśatāvaraṃ sahasraparam

Translation

Teachers and learned persons should receive honoraria and remuneration according to merit—no less than five hundred and up to one thousand (paṇas).

Word by Word

• आचार्याः: teachers, instructors
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन

• विद्यावन्तः: learned (persons)
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: विद्यावत्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; आचार्याः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

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

• पूजा-वेतनानि: honours and remuneration (fees/wages)
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: पूजा + वेतन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-बहुवचन; लभेरन् इत्यस्य कर्म (to be received)

• यथा-अर्हम्: as appropriate; according to merit
• Type: Adverbial phrase (compound)
• Root: यथा + अर्ह
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणम्; ‘as is proper/according to merit’

• लभेरन्: should receive; may obtain
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ्
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन

• पञ्चशत-अवरम्: with five hundred as the minimum (not less than 500)
• Type: Adjective (compound)
• Root: पञ्चशत + अवर
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; (पूजावेतनानि इत्यस्य परिमाण-सीमा) ‘not less than five hundred’

• सहस्र-परम्: with a thousand as the maximum (up to 1000)
• Type: Adjective (compound)
• Root: सहस्र + पर
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; ‘up to a thousand / with a thousand as the upper limit’

Entities Mentioned

• ācārya
• vidyāvant

More Details

FAQs

What is the policy logic behind a pay range for teachers and scholars?

It allows flexible valuation of expertise while setting a floor and ceiling to prevent both undervaluation (loss of talent) and fiscal excess.

What does ‘pūjāvetana’ imply beyond salary?

Compensation includes symbolic recognition—status payments that reinforce loyalty and the prestige economy around knowledge.