Adhyaya 3
Is chapter mein rajya ne ghar ke kaam aur zimmedariyon ke clear rules bana diye hain. Capacity aur age ke hisaab se decide hota hai ki kaun kitna kaam karega. Shushrusha ke rules mein agar koi kaam nahi karta to uski saza alag alag level pe hoti hai. Bharma rules batate hain ki kharcha kaun uthayega, especially sasural mein ya alag rehte waqt. Parushya rules mein thoda maarna allowed hai lekin zyada maar pe criminal case ban jata hai. Clear evidence ke liye rules banaye gaye hain taaki jhagde badh na jaayein. Isse janapada mein log zyada follow karte hain aur inheritance aur kaam ke relation clear rehte hain. Vijigishu ke liye fayda hai ki kam log rote hain aur system smooth chalta hai.
Officials
Technical terms
Sutras
Sutra 1
द्वादशवर्षा स्त्री प्राप्तव्यवहारा भवति षोडशवर्षः पुमान् ॥
Ladki jab baaraan saal ki ho jaati hai, woh kaanooni kaam ke liye taiyaar maani jaati hai. Aur ladka jab solah saal ka ho jaata hai, uske liye yehi rule hai.
Sutra 2
अत ऊर्ध्वमशुश्रूषायां द्वादशपणः स्त्रिया दण्डः पुंसो द्विगुणः । इति शुश्रूषा ॥
Agar koi apna kaam nahi karta jab tak duty lagti hai, toh jurmana dena padega. Aurat ke liye baaraan pana, aur mard ke liye dugna. Yeh service ke rule hain.
Sutra 3
भर्मण्यायामनिर्दिष्टकालायां ग्रासाच्छादनं वाधिकं यथापुरुषपरिवापं सविशेषं दद्यात् ॥
Jab kisi ka kharcha dena ho aur time fix nahi ho, toh usko khana aur kapde dena padega. Aur uski zaroorat ke hisaab se thoda aur bhi dena padega.
Sutra 4
निर्दिष्टकालायां तदेव संख्याय बन्धं च दद्यात् ॥
Agar time fix ho gaya hai, toh utna hi dena jo decide hua tha. Aur uske saath koi guarantee ya bond bhi dena padega.
Sutra 5
शुल्कस्त्रीधनाधिवेदनिकानामनादाने च ॥
Yeh rule biyah ke paise, aurat ki apni property, aur dusri biyah ke paise ke baare mein bhi lagta hai. Agar yeh paise nahi diye gaye.
Sutra 6
श्वशुरकुलप्रविष्टायां विभक्तायां वा नाभियोज्यः पतिः । इति भर्म ॥
Agar aurat sasural mein ghar bas gayi hai, ya alag reh rahi hai, to pati ke upar case nahi chalega. Yeh maintenance ka rule hai.
Sutra 7
नष्टे विनष्टे न्यङ्गे अपितृके अमातृके इत्यनिर्देशेन विनयग्राहणम् ॥
Jab koi gayab ho jaye, barbad ho jaye, langda ho jaye, baap na ho, maa na ho, aise mein sarkar uski zimmedari le leti hai. Yeh general rule hai, detail mein kaha nahi gaya.
Sutra 8
वेणुदलरज्जुहस्तानामन्यतमेन वा पृष्ठे त्रिराघातः ॥
Saza ke liye teen baar peeche maarna hai. Bamboo se, rope se, ya haath se, koi bhi ek cheez use karo. Bas teen se zyada nahi.
Sutra 9
तस्यातिक्रमे वाग्दण्डपारुष्यदण्डाभ्यामर्धदण्डाः ॥
Agar zyada maar diya, to jurmana half rate pe lagega. Jaise gaali dene ka ya maarne ka jurmana hota hai, uska aadha lagega.
Sutra 10
तदेव स्त्रिया भर्तरि प्रसिद्धदोषायाः ॥
Yehi rule biwi ke liye bhi lagu hoga. Agar biwi pati ke saath galat kare aur sabko pata chal jaye, toh wahi saza lagegi.
Sutra 11
ईर्ष्यया बाह्यविहारेषु द्वारेष्वत्ययो यथानिर्दिष्टः । इति पारुष्यम् ॥
Jab kisi ko jalan ho, aur woh bahar ghumne pe ya darwaze pe kisi pe haath utha de, toh jo saza pehle likhi hai woh lagegi. Yeh paarushya mein aata hai, yaani zabardasti ya gaali-galoch ka kaam.
Sutra 12
भर्तारं द्विषती स्त्री सप्तार्तवान्यमण्डयमाना तदानीमेव स्थाप्याभरणं निधाय भर्तारमन्यया सह शयानमनुशयीत ॥
Jab biwi pati se nafrat karti hai, woh saat mahine tak apne aap ko sajake nahi rehti. Phir achanak woh gehne pehen leti hai. Agar woh us waqt pati ke saamne aake leti hai jab pati kisi aur aurat ke saath hai, toh yeh bhi gunah maana jayega.
Sutra 13
भिक्षुक्यन्वाधिज्ञातिकुलानामन्यतमे वा भर्ता द्विषन् स्त्रियमेकामनुशयीत ॥
Agar pati apni biwi se nafrat karta hai, aur woh kisi aur aurat ko lekar bhikhariyon, naukaron, rishtedaaron ya apne logon ke paas jaake sone ke liye bolta hai, toh yeh buri baat hai. Yeh bhi gunah hai.
Sutra 14
दृष्टलिङ्गे मैथुनापहारे सवर्णापसर्पोपगमे वा मिथ्यावादी द्वादशपणं दद्यात् ॥
Agar kisi pe ilagam lagaya ki usne zabardasti kiya, ya kisi ko utha ke le gaya, ya kisi apne jaisi jaat ke saath bhaag gaya, aur baad mein saaf saabut mila ki yeh jhooth hai, toh jhooth bolne wale ko baarah pana jurmana dena padega.
Sutra 15
अमोक्ष्या भर्तुरकामस्य द्विषती भार्या भार्यायाश्च भर्ता ॥
Agar biwi pati se nafrat karti hai, toh pati chahe toh usko chhod nahi sakta. Aur agar pati nafrat karta hai, toh biwi na chahe toh usko chhodna padega, uski marzi ke bina nahi chhod sakte.
Sutra 16
परस्परं द्वेषान्मोक्षः ॥
Jab dono taraf se nafrat ho, toh alag hone ki ijazat hai. Matlab pati-patni dono ek dusre se gila shikayat rakhein, toh juda ho sakte hain.
Sutra 17
स्त्रीविप्रकाराद्वा पुरुषश्चेन्मोक्षमिच्छेद् यथागृहीतमस्यै दद्यात् ॥
Agar biwi ki galti se pati alag hona chahe, toh usko jo kuchh biwi se mila tha woh wapas kar dena. Jo usne liya tha woh de dena.
Sutra 18
पुरुषविप्रकाराद्वा स्त्री चेन्मोक्षमिच्छेन्नास्यै यथागृहीतं दद्यात् ॥
Agar pati ki galti ho aur biwi alag hona chahe, toh usko wapas kuchh nahi dena. Jo usne biwi se liya tha woh uske paas hi rahega.
Sutra 19
अमोक्षो धर्मविवाहानाम् । इति द्वेषः ॥
Jo shaadi dharam se hui hai usmein alag hone ka koi rule nahi hai. Itna hi pati-patni ke beech nafrat ka hisaab hai.
Sutra 20
प्रतिषिद्धा स्त्री दर्पमद्यक्रीडायां त्रिपणं दण्डं दद्यात् ॥
Jis aurat ko mana kiya gaya ho, woh agar show off kare ya daaru peeke masti kare. Usko teen pana ka jurmana dena padega.
Sutra 21
दिवा स्त्रीप्रेक्षाविहारगमने षट्पणो दण्डः पुरुषप्रेक्षाविहारगमने द्वादशपणः ॥
Din mein agar koi aurat dekhne ke liye park ya jagah jaye, toh jurmana six pana lagega. Agar koi mard dekhne ke liye jaye, toh jurmana twelve pana lagega.
Sutra 22
रात्रौ द्विगुणः ॥
Raat mein yeh jurmana double ho jayega.
Sutra 23
सुप्तमत्तप्रव्रजने भर्तुरदाने च द्वारस्य द्वादशपणः ॥
Jab pati so raha ho ya nasha mein ho, aur patni ghar se nikle. Ya fir bina pati ki permission ke bahar jaye. Aise mein darwaze ke guard par twelve pana jurmana lagega.
Sutra 24
रात्रौ निष्कसने द्विगुणः ॥
Raat mein bahar nikalne ka jurmana double hoga.
Sutra 25
स्त्रीपुंसयोर्मैथुनार्थेनाङ्गविचेष्टायां रहोऽश्लीलसम्भाषायां वा चतुर्विंशतिपणः स्त्रिया दण्डः पुंसो द्विगुणः ॥
Agar aurat aur mard aapas mein galat harkat karein, ya chupke se gandi baatein karein. Toh aurat par twenty-four pana jurmana lagega. Mard par double jurmana lagega.
Sutra 26
केशनीविदन्तनखालम्बनेषु पूर्वः साहसदण्डः पुंसो द्विगुणः ॥
Agar koi baalon se pakadta hai, kapde ya kamar se pakadta hai, daant se kaat ta hai, ya naakhun se kharonchta hai, yeh pehle darje ka jurm hai. Uske liye sahasa daand lagta hai. Aur agar aadmi ne kiya hai toh fine double hoti hai.
Sutra 27
शङ्कितस्थाने सम्भाषायां च पणस्थाने शिफादण्डः ॥
Agar koi aisi jagah baat karta hai jahan shak hai, toh sifa daand lagta hai. Aur agar juwe ya sikkon wali jagah baat karta hai, toh ek pana fine lagta hai.
Sutra 28
स्त्रीणां ग्राममध्ये चण्डालः पक्षान्तरे पञ्चशिफा दद्यात् ॥
Agar koi chandal auraton ke beech gaon ke beech mein milta hai, toh use paksh ke baad paanch sifa fine dena padega.
Sutra 29
पणिकं वा प्रहारं मोक्षयेत् । इत्यतीचारः ॥
Ya toh use paise se chhut de, ya maarna padega. Yeh atichar maana jaata hai, matlab thoda zyada ho gaya.
Sutra 30
प्रतिषिद्धयोः स्त्रीपुंसयोरन्योन्योपकारे क्षुद्रकद्रव्याणां द्वादशपणो दण्डः स्थूलकद्रव्याणां चतुर्विंशतिपणः हिरण्यसुवर्णयोश्चतुष्पञ्चाशत्पणः स्त्रिया दण्डः पुंसोर्द्विगुणः ॥
Jab koi mard aur aurat jinke beech mana hai, phir bhi kaam karein, toh jurmana hoga. Choti cheez ho toh 12 pana, badi cheez ho toh 24 pana. Sona chaandi ho toh 54 pana. Aurat itna degi, mard dugna dega.
Sutra 31
त एवागम्ययोरर्धदण्डाः तथा प्रतिषिद्धपुरुषव्यवहारेषु च । इति प्रतिषेधः ॥
Jab rishta mana ho, toh jurmana aadha kar do. Yeh rule mana hue logon ke mamalon mein bhi lagta hai. Yeh mana karne ka poora rule hai.
Sutra 32
राजद्विष्टातिचाराभ्यामात्मापक्रमणेन च । स्त्रीधनानीतशुल्कानामस्वाम्यं जायते स्त्रियाः ॥
Agar koi raja ka dushman ho, kanoon todta ho, ya bhaag jaata hai, toh uske upar kharab asar padta hai. Aisi aurat apna paisa kho deti hai. Jo dahej usne paya tha, woh bhi uska nahi rehta.
Inside Adhyaya 3
How it unfolds
- The problem
Households generate recurring conflicts—service disobedience, maintenance obligations, and domestic verbal/physical violence—where unclear capacity thresholds and unchecked chastisement can escalate into abandonment, retaliatory feuds, and public disorder, while imposing high adjudication costs on the state.
- The answer
Convert domestic life into justiciable categories with bright-line triggers: (i) age/threshold rules for capacity and household-service/sexual maturity; (ii) graded penalties for disobedience in service (śuśrūṣā) to preserve labor discipline; (iii) time-conditioned, liability-limited maintenance rules (bharma) that allocate responsibility depending on whether the wife is integrated into or separated from the in-laws’ household; and (iv) calibrated permissions and prohibitions for chastisement and abuse (pāruṣya), setting limits on blows and punishing excess to deter private violence while allowing minimal household correction.
- Where it lands
By standardizing evidence and penalties inside the household, the king prevents private coercion and neglect from spilling into public instability, achieving low-cost enforcement that stabilizes labor, inheritance expectations, and janapada compliance—thereby denying rivals exploitable grievances.
The pillar of the state
Territory (Janapada) — social order, family stability, and predictable dispute-resolution within the realm
The focus
Low-cost governance of the household through standardized capacity rules, enforceable maintenance duties, and bounded domestic coercion to prevent private disputes from becoming public disorder.
Topics covered
- Śuśrūṣā (household-service; obedience and discipline)
- Bharma (maintenance/allowance; support obligations and time-conditions)
- Pāruṣya (verbal/physical abuse; limits on chastisement and sanctions for excess)
- Legal capacity thresholds (age/maturity; competence within domestic relations)
- Household integration vs separation (in-laws’ household; allocation of liability)
- Evidentiary bright-lines and graded penalties (administrability and deterrence)
The policy
- Who actsRāja through the Dharmastha (judge) and court apparatus; enforcement by state officers (daṇḍapāla/bandhanāgāra staff as needed)
- Whom it governsHouseholds: spouses, dependents, and kin-groups; especially domestic relations involving maintenance, service-obligations, and intra-household violence
- Why force, and how muchDeterrence and standardization: convert private domestic conflict into legible, tariffed penalties (paṇa-fines, limited corporal correction, confinement) to prevent escalation, protect vulnerable parties, and preserve productive household units as fiscal-social cells of the state.
The administration
- What the state doesAdjudication of household disputes: (a) legal capacity by age (female 12, male 16), (b) fines for non-service/insubordination, (c) ordering maintenance (grāsa–ācchādana) and, when time is specified, accounting + confinement for non-compliance, (d) regulating liability for śulka/strīdhana/ādhivedanika non-payment, (e) permitting limited domestic correction and punishing excess; penalizing false statements in sexual/infidelity-related allegations; rules constraining mutual ‘release’/separation in hostile marriages.
- Precedents and parallelsManusmṛti also treats domestic discipline and women’s protection but tends to moralize; Kauṭilya is more tariffed and administrative, limiting permissible chastisement (specified instruments/number of blows) and pricing false accusations. Śukranīti similarly prefers graded fines, but Kauṭilya is more procedural (time-specified vs. unspecified obligations; liability allocation across households).
The philosophy
- Artha and dharmaDharma is made actionable through artha-friendly administration: the household is protected not by sermon but by enforceable minima (maintenance), bounded coercion (limited blows), and monetized penalties that internalize harm. Welfare (yogakṣema) arises from predictable enforcement that keeps dependents from destitution and prevents retaliatory feuds that disrupt production and revenue.
- The strategyDaṇḍa (primary): calibrated punishment and confinement; with an element of vyavahāra-clarity (proceduralism) to reduce transaction costs and prevent strategic litigation/false claims.
For the administrator
- Who it is forDharmastha (chief judge) with the Prāḍvivāka (adjudicator) and local Sthānika/Gopa for fact-finding
- The takeawayUse fixed thresholds and capped sanctions to triage domestic disputes quickly: verify capacity/age, classify the dispute (service, maintenance, abuse), apply time-conditions and household-location rules for liability, and punish excess violence to deter escalation without continuous state supervision.
How it is written
Prescriptive (tariffed rules with conditions, exceptions, and penalty-schedules).
Imagery
- Low; no major state metaphors. The passage is tariff-legal and procedural rather than allegorical.
Frequently Asked Questions
Household stability becomes a public good: dependents receive enforceable maintenance, domestic violence is bounded by clear limits, and disputes are settled with predictable fines—reducing feuds, abandonment, and disorder that weaken the janapada’s productivity and loyalty.
Key penalties include: 12 paṇa fine for a woman’s non-service/insubordination after the legal threshold, double for a man; confinement (bandha) when time-bound maintenance is defaulted after accounting; half-fines for exceeding the permitted three blows; and 12 paṇa for false statements in specified sexual/infidelity-related allegations.
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