Arthashastra 3.11.27: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 11, Sutra 27

Devanagari script

पक्षानुमतौ वा द्वौ ऋणं प्रति न त्वेवैकः ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.11.27

Transliteration

pakṣānumatau vā dvau ṛṇaṃ prati na tvevaikaḥ

Translation

अगर दोनों तरफ राज़ी हो, तो कर्ज़ के केस में दो गवाह भी चल जायेंगे। पर एक गवाह कभी नहीं चलेगा।

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Word by Word

• पक्ष-अनुमतौ: when there is consent of both parties
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: पक्ष; अनु√मन् (मन्)
• Form: सप्तमी-द्विवचनम् (स्त्रीलिङ्ग) — ‘पक्षयोः अनुमतौ’ (agreement/consent of the two parties/sides)

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्ययम् (or/alternatively)

• द्वौ: two (persons)
• Type: Numeral (adjective)
• Root: द्वि
• Form: प्रथमा-द्विवचनम्, पुल्लिङ्ग (qualifying implied ‘जनौ/व्यक्ती’)

• ऋणम्: a debt
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋण
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• प्रति: with respect to / regarding
• Type: Preposition/Particle
• Root: प्रति
• Form: उपसर्गसदृशम् अव्ययम्; ‘towards/with respect to’ (governs accusative sense)

• न: not
• Type: Negation
• Root: न
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्

• तु: but
• Type: Particle
• Root: तु
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्ययम् (but/however)

• एव: indeed / only
• Type: Particle
• Root: एव
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्ययम् (indeed/only)

• एकः: one (person)
• Type: Numeral (used substantively)
• Root: एक
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, पुल्लिङ्ग (one person alone)

Entities Mentioned

• two parties
• witnesses

More Details

FAQs

What balance does this rule strike?

It allows efficiency through party consent (two witnesses) while maintaining a strict anti-fraud floor (no single-witness proof).