Kantakashodhana Adhyaya 9 Sutra 4 - Arthashastra | Hindi | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 4

Devanagari script

पण्यभूमिभ्यो वा राजपण्यं माषमूल्यादूर्ध्वमापादमूल्यादित्यपहरतो द्वादशपणो दण्डः आद्विपादमूल्यादिति चतुर्विंशतिपणः आत्रिपादमूल्यादिति षट्त्रिंशत्पणः आपणमूल्यादित्यष्टचत्वारिंशत्पणः आद्विपणमूल्यादिति पूर्वः साहसदण्डः आचतुष्पणमूल्यादिति मध्यमः आष्टपणमूल्यादित्युत्तमः आदशपणमूल्यादिति वधः ॥ कZ_०४.९.०४ ॥

Transliteration

Translation

यदि बाजार-भूमि से राजपण्य चुराया जाए, तो: माष-मूल्य से अधिक और पाद-मूल्य तक होने पर 12 पण दण्ड; दो पाद-मूल्य पर 24 पण; तीन पाद-मूल्य पर 36 पण; एक पण-मूल्य पर 48 पण। दो पण-मूल्य से प्रथम साहसदण्ड; चार पण-मूल्य से मध्यम साहसदण्ड; आठ पण-मूल्य से उत्तम साहसदण्ड; दस पण-मूल्य से वध (मृत्युदण्ड)।

Word by Word

पण्यभूमिभ्यःfrom the market-grounds / places of trade

वाor

राजपण्यंroyal merchandise / state goods

माषमूल्यात्from the value of one māṣa (and above)

ऊर्ध्वम्upwards; above; exceeding

आup to

पादमूल्यात्up to the value of a quarter-paṇa

इतिthus (stating the limit)

अपहरतःof one who steals / while stealing

द्वादशपणः(a fine of) twelve paṇas

दण्डःthe penalty/fine

आup to

द्विपादमूल्यात्up to the value of two quarters (i.e., half-paṇa)

इतिthus

चतुर्विंशतिपणः(a fine of) twenty-four paṇas

आup to

त्रिपादमूल्यात्up to the value of three quarters

इतिthus

षट्त्रिंशत्पणः(a fine of) thirty-six paṇas

आup to

पणमूल्यात्up to the value of one paṇa

इतिthus

अष्टचत्वारिंशत्पणः(a fine of) forty-eight paṇas

आup to

द्विपणमूल्यात्up to the value of two paṇas

इतिthus

पूर्वःthe first (grade)

साहसदण्डःthe sāhasa-penalty (graded fine for forcible wrongdoing)

आup to

चतुष्पणमूल्यात्up to the value of four paṇas

इतिthus

मध्यमःthe middle (grade)

आup to

अष्टपणमूल्यात्up to the value of eight paṇas

इतिthus

उत्तमःthe highest (grade)

आup to

दशपणमूल्यात्up to the value of ten paṇas

इतिthus

वधःdeath (capital punishment)

Entities Mentioned

rājapaṇya

paṇyabhūmi

māṣa

pāda

paṇa

sāhasa-daṇḍa

FAQs

What administrative logic underlies the detailed value thresholds?

A tariff schedule reduces discretion and corruption in enforcement, ensures predictability, and aligns punishment with fiscal harm.

Why escalate from monetary fines to sāhasa tiers and then death?

To create a deterrence ladder: minor theft is fined, serious theft is treated as a grave assault on royal property and public order.