Arthashastra — Adhyakshaprachara, Sutra 11

Devanagari script

सौवर्णिकेनादृष्टमन्यत्र वा प्रयोगं कारयतो द्वादशपणो दण्डः ॥ कZ_०२.१४.११ ॥

Transliteration

sauvarṇikenādṛṣṭamanyatra vā prayogaṃ kārayato dvādaśapaṇo daṇḍaḥ

Translation

Si se hace que un orfebre realice un proceso no inspeccionado/aprobado (por el superintendente) o que lo haga en otro lugar (fuera del taller), se impone una multa de doce paṇas a quien lo haya hecho realizar.

Word by Word

• सौवर्णिकेन: by a goldsmith / by an assayer
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौवर्णिक
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्ग (करण/कर्तृ-निर्देशः)

• अदृष्टम्: not seen/verified (unexamined)
• Type: Participle (Kṛdanta)
• Root: दृश्
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम्; ‘अ-’ नञ्-पूर्वकः

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र
• Form: अव्ययम् (देश/विषय-निर्देशः)

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: अव्ययम् (विकल्पार्थकः)

• प्रयोगम्: use/application (practice)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयोग
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्ग

• कारयतः: of one who causes (it) to be used / who puts (it) into circulation
• Type: Verb (Causative participle)
• Root: कृ
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त causative; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/अत्-प्रत्यय), षष्ठी-एकवचनम् (सम्बन्धे)

• द्वादशपणः: (a fine of) twelve paṇas
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशपण
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्ग; संख्यापूर्वक-समासः (द्वादश + पण)

• दण्डः: penalty; fine
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्ग

Entities Mentioned

• goldsmith (sauvarṇika)
• patron/contractor ordering work
• superintendent/inspector

More Details

FAQs

What is punished here: the goldsmith or the instigator?

Primarily the person who causes the uninspected or off-site work to be done.

What administrative control is being enforced?

Work must occur under authorized oversight and at regulated locations to prevent substitution and theft.