Arthashastra 3.16.23: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 16, Sutra 23

Devanagari script

पञ्चपणिकं द्विपदरूपस्य निष्क्रयं दद्यात् चतुष्पणिकमेकखुरस्य द्विपणिकं गोमहिषस्य पादिकं क्षुद्रपशूनाम् ॥ कZ_०३.१६.२३ ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.16.23

Transliteration

pañcapaṇikaṃ dvipadarūpasya niṣkrayaṃ dadyāt catuṣpaṇikam ekakhurasya dvipaṇikaṃ gomahiṣasya pādikaṃ kṣudrapaśūnām

Translation

माल वापस लेने के लिए पैसे देने पड़ेंगे। आदमी के लिए पाँच पणा, घोड़े जैसा जानवर के लिए चार पणा, गाय या भैंस के लिए दो पणा, और छोटे जानवर के लिए एक पणा।

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Word by Word

• पञ्चपणिकम्: a five-paṇa amount (price/compensation)
• Type: Noun (adjectival numeral)
• Root: पञ्च; पण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; ‘पञ्च पणाः यस्य’ = five-paṇa amount (as price)

• द्विपद-रूपस्य: of a two-footed being (i.e., a human)
• Type: Noun (genitive qualifier)
• Root: द्वि + पद; रूप
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (रूप-शब्दः नपुं), एकवचन, षष्ठी; ‘द्विपद’ = two-footed (human)

• निष्क्रयम्: the redemption/compensation price
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष् + √क्री (क्रयणे)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; ‘निष्क्रय’ = redemption/compensation price

• दद्यात्: should give
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (दाने)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘he should give’

• चतुष्पणिकम्: a four-paṇa amount
• Type: Noun (adjectival numeral)
• Root: चतुर्; पण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; ‘चत्वारः पणाः यस्य’

• एकखुरस्य: of a one-hoofed animal
• Type: Noun (genitive qualifier)
• Root: एक + खुर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, षष्ठी; ‘one-hoofed’ (e.g., horse/ass etc., as a class)

• द्विपणिकम्: a two-paṇa amount
• Type: Noun (adjectival numeral)
• Root: द्वि; पण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; ‘द्वौ पणौ यस्य’

• गोमहिषस्य: of cattle—cow/buffalo
• Type: Noun (genitive qualifier)
• Root: गो + महिष
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, षष्ठी; ‘cow and buffalo’ as a category

• पादिकम्: a quarter (paṇa), i.e., one-fourth of a paṇa
• Type: Noun (measure/amount term)
• Root: पाद
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; ‘पादिक’ = one-fourth (of a paṇa) / quarter-unit amount

• क्षुद्रपशूनाम्: of small animals (minor livestock)
• Type: Noun (genitive plural)
• Root: क्षुद्र + पशु
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, षष्ठी; ‘small animals’

Entities Mentioned

• humans (dvipadarūpa)
• single-hoofed animals
• cow
• buffalo
• small livestock

More Details

FAQs

What is the administrative purpose of a fixed niṣkraya schedule?

It reduces discretion and disputes by standardizing payouts, enabling faster settlement and predictable enforcement costs.