Kantakashodhana Adhyaya 9 Sutra 18 - Arthashastra | Hindi | Vedapath

Kautilya

←Previous SutraNext Sutra→

Sutra 18

Devanagari script

धर्मस्थः प्रदेष्टा वा हैरण्यदण्डमदण्ड्ये क्षिपति क्षेपद्विगुणमस्मै दण्डं कुर्यात् हीनातिरिक्ताष्टगुणं वा ॥ कZ_०४.९.१८ ॥

Transliteration

dharmasthaḥ pradeṣṭā vā hairaṇyadaṇḍamadaṇḍye kṣipati kṣepadviguṇamasmai daṇḍaṃ kuryāt hīnātiriktāṣṭaguṇaṃ vā

Translation

यदि न्यायाधीश या प्रदेष्टा (कार्यकारी अधिकारी) ऐसे व्यक्ति पर धन-दण्ड लगाता है जो दण्डनीय नहीं है, तो उस पर गलत लगाए गए दण्ड की दुगुनी राशि का दण्ड लगे; अथवा जहाँ राशि कम या अधिक लगाई गई हो, वहाँ कमी/अधिकता के अनुपात में आठगुना दण्ड लगाया जाए।

Word by Word

धर्मस्थःthe judge / officer presiding over justice

प्रदेष्टाthe pradeṣṭṛ (an appointed officer)

वाor

हैरण्यदण्डम्a monetary fine

अदण्ड्येin the case of one who is not punishable / not liable to a fine

क्षिपतिimposes / throws (a fine)

क्षेपद्विगुणम्double the amount of the (wrongful) imposition

अस्मैto him (i.e., to that officer)

दण्डम्a penalty

कुर्यात्should impose / should make (i.e., should levy)

हीनातिरिक्ताष्टगुणम्(a penalty) eightfold, for (wrongly) reducing or increasing (the due amount)

वाor

Entities Mentioned

dharmastha

pradeṣṭā

non-liable citizen

FAQs

What is the deterrence logic in ‘double’ or ‘eightfold’ penalties for officials?

To make abuse of fining power unprofitable and risk-dominant, preventing fines from becoming a revenue-by-coercion tool.