Kantakashodhana Adhyaya 8 Sutra 28 - Arthashastra | French | 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

Pour lui (un brahmane délinquant), on fera sur le front une marque de condamnation entraînant la perte du statut civil : pour le vol, un chien ; pour le meurtre d’un homme, un tronc sans tête ; pour la violation du lit du maître, l’organe sexuel féminin ; pour la consommation d’alcool, une bannière de vin.

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.