Arthashastra — Adhyakshaprachara, Sutra 37

Devanagari script

राजपरिग्रहोपगमने नगररक्षारोहणे च मध्यमः साहसदण्डः ॥ कZ_०२.३६.३७ ॥

Transliteration

rājaparigrahopagamane nagararakṣārohaṇe ca madhyamaḥ sāhasadaṇḍaḥ.

Translation

રાજાના પરિગ્રહિત/ઘેરાયેલા વિસ્તારમાં પ્રવેશ કરવો અને નગરરક્ષા-ચોકી પર ચઢવું/અનધિકૃત રીતે ઘુસવું—આ માટે ‘મધ્યમ’ સાહસદંડ (દંડ) છે।

Word by Word

• राजपरिग्रह: royal property / state revenue (royal dues)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् + परि√ग्रह् (ग्रहँ उपादाने)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासपद; ‘राजस्य परिग्रहः’ = राजकीय-परिग्रह/राजस्व-ग्रहणम्)

• उपगमने: in the act of approaching/attempting to access
• Type: Noun (Action noun)
• Root: उप + √गम् (गमॢँ गतौ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन; भाववाचक-नाम (उपगमन = approach/going to)

• नगररक्षा: city-guarding / protection of the city
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगर + √रक्ष् (रक्षँ पालने)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासपद; ‘नगरस्य रक्षा’)

• आरोहणे: in the act of mounting/ascending (e.g., climbing onto a post/structure)
• Type: Noun (Action noun)
• Root: आ + √रुह् (रुहँ आरोहणे)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन; भाववाचक-नाम (आरोहण = mounting/ascending)

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

• मध्यमः: the middle (intermediate) grade
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: मध्यम
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषणम् (साहसदण्डस्य)

• साहसदण्डः: the penalty for sāhasa (violent/forcible offense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साहस + दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; समासपद (‘साहसस्य दण्डः’)

Entities Mentioned

• king
• city guard (nagararakṣā)

More Details

FAQs

Why punish ‘mounting city-guard duty’ as an offence?

Unauthorized assumption of policing powers enables extortion, intelligence gathering, and sabotage; it is treated as a serious security breach.

What is the niti concept here?

Monopoly of legitimate force: the state must prevent private persons from mimicking state coercive roles.