Yogavritta Adhyaya 2 Sutra 37 - Arthashastra | Hindi | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 37

Devanagari script

पाषण्डसंघद्रव्यमश्रोत्रियोपभोग्यं देवद्रव्यं वा कृत्यकराः प्रेतस्य दग्धगृहस्य वा हस्ते न्यस्तमित्युपहरेयुः ॥ कZ_०५.२.३७ ॥

Transliteration

pāṣaṇḍasaṃghadravyamaśrotriyopabhogyaṃ devadravyaṃ vā kṛtyakarāḥ pretasya dagdhagṛhasya vā haste nyastamityupahareyuḥ

Translation

ऐसे कार्य के लिए नियुक्त गुप्तचर ‘हमारे हाथ में न्यस्त है’ ऐसा बहाना बनाकर पाषण्ड-संघों की संपत्ति, अश्रोत्रिय द्वारा उपभोग्य धन, या देवद्रव्य; तथा मृत व्यक्ति की या जले हुए घर की संपत्ति भी हड़प लें।

Word by Word

पाषण्ड-संघ-द्रव्यम्property belonging to a heretical/sectarian association

अश्रोत्रिय-उपभोग्यम्fit to be enjoyed/appropriated by non-śrotriyas (unauthorized persons)

देव-द्रव्यम्property belonging to a deity/temple

वाor

कृत्य-कराःwrongdoers; perpetrators of misdeeds

प्रेतस्यof a deceased person

दग्ध-गृहस्यof a burnt house

वाor

हस्तेin (someone’s) hand; in custody

न्यस्तम्deposited; entrusted

इतिthus (claiming)

उपहरेयुःshould take away; would steal/appropriate

Entities Mentioned

pāṣaṇḍa-saṃgha (heterodox sect collective)

deva-dravya (temple property)

aśrotriya

kṛtyakarāḥ

FAQs

What is the administrative intent of listing these asset types?

To identify socially/politically vulnerable or weakly defended asset pools (sect funds, disputed religious property, ownerless goods after death/disaster) that can be absorbed into the state treasury via controlled pretexts.

What niti concept is prominent?

Artha-hetu-prayoga (ends-driven statecraft) and kośa-vṛddhi (treasury growth) through opportunistic appropriation where enforcement costs are low and resistance is fragmented.