Arthashastra 3.12.29 - Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 12, Sutra 29

Kautilya

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Arthashastra 3.12.29: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 12, Sutra 29

Devanagari script

सांव्यवहारिकेषु वा प्रात्ययिकेष्वराजवाच्येषु भ्रेषोपनिपाताभ्यां नष्टं विनष्टं वा मूल्यमपि न दद्युः ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.12.29

Transliteration

sāṃvyavahārikeṣu vā prātyayikeṣv arājavācyeṣu bhreṣopanipātābhyāṃ naṣṭaṃ vinaṣṭaṃ vā mūlyam api na dadyuḥ

Translation

जब दो लोग आपस में कोई डील करते हैं बिना कोर्ट के, और उसमे कोई ऐसे घटना हो जाए जो किसी की गलती नहीं है, माल खो जाए या टूट जाए। ऐसे में किसी से पैसा लेना नहीं चाहिए, भले ही माल का कितना भी लॉस हो।

Word by Word

सांव्यवहारिकेषुin matters of litigation/transactions (judicial dealings)

वाor

प्रात्ययिकेषुin credit-based (trust-based) matters/claims

अराजवाच्येषुin matters not to be brought before the king (non-justiciable)

भ्रेषby mistake / due to error

उपनिपाताभ्याम्by accident / due to mishap

नष्टम्lost

विनष्टम्destroyed / perished

वाor

मूल्यम्the price/value (compensation)

अपिeven

नnot

दद्युःthey should give / should pay (here: should not pay)

Entities Mentioned

king’s court (rājavācya)

private transactors

FAQs

What liability rule is stated here?

For certain private, trust-based dealings not meant for royal adjudication, accidental loss/calamity does not create a duty to compensate the value.

What is the administrative intent?

To prevent state courts from imposing strict liability in informal/private arrangements and to conserve judicial attention for justiciable matters.

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