Arthashastra 3.2.39: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 2, Sutra 39

Devanagari script

ततः पुत्रार्थी द्वितीयां विन्देत ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.2.39

Transliteration

tataḥ putrārthī dvitīyāṃ vindeta

Translation

उसके बाद जो बेटा चाहता हो वो दूसरी बीवी ला सकता है।

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Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereafter; from that (point)
• Type: Pronoun (indeclinable adverbial use)
• Root: तद्
• Form: ablative singular (तस्मात्) used adverbially = 'thereupon/then'

• पुत्रार्थी: one desiring a son; a son-seeker
• Type: Noun (adjectival)
• Root: अर्थिन् (from अर्थ)
• Form: masculine nominative singular; 'one who desires X' (X = पुत्र)
• Compound: तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• द्वितीयाम्: the second (woman/wife)
• Type: Adjective (ordinal) used substantively
• Root: द्वितीय
• Form: feminine accusative singular; object of विन्देत; ellipsis: (भार्याम्/स्त्रियम्)
• In statecraft: in context: 'a second wife' (second marriage)

• विन्देत: should obtain; should take (as wife)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (विन्दति)
• Form: optative (विधिलिङ्), parasmaipada, 3rd person singular, present-system; injunctive sense: 'should obtain/take'
• In statecraft: to take (a wife) / contract (a marriage)

Sandhi Notes

• The form पुत्रार्थी is a compound (पुत्र + अर्थी) rather than a sandhi junction in the sentence

Entities Mentioned

• husband
• second wife

Topic and Governance

Prakarana (topic)

Vivāha-dharma & polygynous marriage rules; women’s property; consent; penalties

Governance domain

Civil law (family law), demographic/lineage policy

Vocabulary Breakdown

Technical Terms

FAQs

What is the administrative intent of allowing a second wife here?

To legally channel the pursuit of male issue (succession/lineage continuity) into a regulated framework rather than informal unions.