Arthashastra 3.2.40: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 2, Sutra 40

Devanagari script

तस्यातिक्रमे शुल्कं स्त्रीधनमर्धं चाधिवेदनिकं दद्यात् चतुर्विंशतिपणपरं च दण्डम् ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.2.40

Transliteration

tasyātikrame śulkaṃ strīdhanamardhaṃ cādhivedanikaṃ dadyāt caturviṃśatipaṇaparaṃ ca daṇḍam

Translation

अगर कोई आदमी यह नियम तोड़ दे, तो उसको सज़ा मिलेगी। पहले वो लड़की के पैसे वापस करे। उसके बाद आधा और काम्पेन्सेशन दे। और फाइन भी भरना पड़ेगा, मैक्सिमम चोबीस (24) पाणे तक।

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Word by Word

• तस्य: of that (man/party); in his case
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचनम् (पुं/नपुं), सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक

• अतिक्रमे: upon transgression/violation
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति√क्रम्
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्ग (अतिक्रम)
• In statecraft: violation/overstepping of the prescribed rule (here: breach of the relevant marital/sexual regulation)

• शुल्कम्: the bride-price / marriage payment
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुल्क
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्ग
• In statecraft: marriage consideration / bride-price (as a legally recognized payment)

• स्त्रीधनम्: woman’s property (strīdhana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्रीधन
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; स्त्रियाः धनम्
• Compound: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष
• In statecraft: woman’s property (her legally protected personal wealth)

• अर्धम्: half
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (परिमाण/भागवाचक)

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• अधिवेदनिकम्: the adhivedanika compensation (payment connected with taking another wife/supersession)
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: अधिवेदनिक
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; ‘अधिवेदन’ (taking an additional wife / supersession) सम्बन्धि
• In statecraft: compensation/fee due in a case of adhivedana (supersession by another wife / taking another wife)

• दद्यात्: should give / shall pay
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (दाने)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष-एकवचनम्
• In statecraft: shall pay/shall give (as a legal obligation)

• चतुर्विंशतिपणपरम्: amounting to twenty-four paṇas
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: चतुर्विंशति + पण + पर
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; दण्डम् विशेषयति
• Compound: बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष (अर्थतः ‘इतिपरिमाणपरः’ प्रकारः)
• In statecraft: amounting to 24 paṇas (standard monetary fine-amount specification)

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• दण्डम्: a fine / penalty
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्ग
• In statecraft: legal punishment/fine imposed by the state

Sandhi Notes

• तस्यातिक्रमे = तस्य + अतिक्रमे (स्वर-सन्धि: अ + अ → आ)
• चाधिवेदनिकं = च + अधिवेदनिकम् (अ + अ → आ)
• अन्यत्र स्पष्ट-सन्धि विशेषः न

Entities Mentioned

• husband
• wife
• court/king’s authority (implied)

Topic and Governance

Prakarana (topic)

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

Governance domain

Civil law (marriage/property), judicial penalties

Vocabulary Breakdown

Technical Terms

FAQs

What policy levers are used to enforce compliance?

Restitution (śulka, strīdhana), mandated compensation (adhivedanika), and a state-imposed fine (daṇḍa) to deter circumvention.