Arthashastra 3.10.32: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 10, Sutra 32

Devanagari script

पशवो रश्मिप्रतोदाभ्यां वारयितव्याः ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.10.32

Transliteration

paśavo raśmipratodābhyāṃ vārayitavyāḥ

Translation

जानवर को रोप और लाठी से रोकना चाहिए। रोप से बाँधो और लाठी से संभालो।

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Word by Word

• पशवः: cattle; livestock
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन
• In statecraft: (प्रकरणे) गोधन/पशुधन (cattle, livestock under regulation)

• रश्मि-प्रतोदाभ्याम्: by means of a rein/rope and a goad (driving stick/whip)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रश्मि + प्रतोद
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-द्विवचन; साधन/करण-कारक
• Compound: द्वन्द्व (इतरेतर)
• In statecraft: herding implements: rein/rope and goad/whip (used to restrain/drive animals)

• वारयितव्याः: must be restrained/kept back
• Type: Verb (verbal adjective)
• Root: √वृ (वारयति)
• Form: कृदन्त: तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (कर्तव्यता/विधि); परस्मैपद-प्रयोगार्थ; कर्मणि/भावे-प्रायः; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; पुंलिङ्ग (पशवः इति पदेन सह विशेषणत्वेन)
• In statecraft: must be restrained/kept back (as a rule/obligation in administration)

Sandhi Notes

• पशवो = पशवः (ओ-कारः विसर्गसन्धिः/पदान्त-रूप)
• रश्मिप्रतोदाभ्यां = रश्मि + प्रतोद + आभ्याम् (समासः: द्वन्द्व; ततः तृतीया-द्विवचन-प्रत्ययः ‘आभ्याम्’)

Entities Mentioned

• paśu (cattle)
• raśmi (rope)
• pratoda (goad)

Topic and Governance

Prakarana (topic)

Kṣetra-patha-hiṃsā (injury/damage to fields, roads, crops; control of animals; related fines)

Governance domain

Operational regulation, rural policing, livestock management standards

Vocabulary Breakdown

Technical Terms

FAQs

What is the policy logic of specifying tools (rope, goad)?

It standardizes enforcement practice, making compliance verifiable and reducing disputes over ‘reasonable control’.

How does this relate to state capacity?

Clear, simple methods lower training and enforcement costs while improving predictable outcomes.