Arthashastra 3.16.27: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 16, Sutra 27

Devanagari script

स्वयं ग्राहेणाहृतं प्रत्यानीय तन्निष्क्रयं वा प्रयच्छेत् ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.16.27

Transliteration

svayaṃ grāheṇāhṛtaṃ pratyānīya tanniṣkrayaṃ vā prayacchet

Translation

अगर सरकार के लोग किसी का माल पकड़ के रख लेते हैं, तो वो माल वापस करना पड़ेगा। या फिर उसकी कीमत देनी पड़ेगी।

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Word by Word

• स्वयम्: personally; by oneself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्
• Form: अव्यय; manner/instrumental sense ‘by oneself’

• ग्राहेण: by the seizer; by the apprehending person
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचन; ‘by/through the seizer/taker’

• आहृतम्: brought; produced; brought in
• Type: Verb (Participle)
• Root: आ-हृ
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन; ‘brought/produced’

• प्रत्यानीय: having brought back; having returned (it)
• Type: Verb (Absolutive)
• Root: प्रति-आ-नी
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त; ‘having brought back/returned’

• तत्: that (thing); it
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; refers to the item/property

• निष्क्रयम्: redemption price; buy-back amount
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्क्रय
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे नपुंसकवत्); द्वितीया-एकवचन; ‘buy-back price/redemption price’

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक

• प्रयच्छेत्: should give; should hand over; should pay
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-यम् (यच्छति)
• Form: विधिलिङ्; परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; ‘should give/should grant’

Entities Mentioned

• state apprehending/seizing agency (grāha)
• rājā/state (implied)
• owner/claimant (implied)

More Details

FAQs

What governance norm is established by 'return it or pay niṣkraya'?

State agents must not create uncompensated losses; the administration is bound to restitution standards even for its own enforcement actions.