Arthashastra 3.17.9: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 17, Sutra 9

Devanagari script

महापशुमनुष्यक्षेत्रगृहहिरण्यसुवर्णसूक्ष्मवस्त्रादीनां स्थूलकद्रव्याणां द्विशतावरः पञ्चशतपरो मध्यमः साहसदण्डः ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.17.9

Transliteration

mahāpaśumanuṣyakṣetragṛhahiraṇyasuvarṇasūkṣmavastrādīnāṃ sthūlakadravyāṇāṃ dviśatāvaraḥ pañcaśataparo madhyamaḥ sāhasadaṇḍaḥ

Translation

बड़े जानवर, इंसान, खेत, घर, चाँदी, सोना, अच्छी कपड़ी, जैसी बड़ी चीज़ें, इन सब के लिए बीच का जुर्माना 200 पण से 500 पण तक लगता है।

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Word by Word

• महापशु-मनुष्य-क्षेत्र-गृह-हिरण्य-सुवर्ण-सूक्ष्म-वस्त्र-आदीनाम्: of (items such as) large cattle, humans (slaves/servants), fields, houses, gold (uncoined), coined gold, fine cloth, etc.
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु/मनुष्य/क्षेत्र/गृह/हिरण्य/सुवर्ण/वस्त्र + आदि
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचन (genitive plural); समासपद; ‘आदि’ = etc.

• स्थूलक-द्रव्याणाम्: of bulky/coarse goods (bulk property)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचन (genitive plural)

• द्विशत-अवरः: having 200 (as) the lower (limit)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; ‘अवरः’ = lower (grade)

• पञ्चशत-परः: having 500 (as) the upper (limit)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; ‘परः’ = upper (limit)

• मध्यमः: the middle (grade)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यम
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies साहसदण्डः)

• साहस-दण्डः: the sāhasa-penalty (fine for forcible/violent offence)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन

More Details

FAQs

Why are ‘persons’ listed alongside property like fields and gold?

The framework treats coercive/violent interference with personal liberty and major assets as comparable high-severity harms requiring stronger deterrence.