Arthashastra 3.3.17: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 3, Sutra 17
Devanagari script
स्त्रीविप्रकाराद्वा पुरुषश्चेन्मोक्षमिच्छेद् यथागृहीतमस्यै दद्यात् ॥
Transliteration
strīviprakārād vā puruṣaś cen mokṣam icched yathāgṛhītam asyai dadyāt
Translation
अगर बीवी की गलती से पति अलग होना चाहे, तो उसको जो कुछ बीवी से मिला था वो वापस कर देना। जो उसने लिया था वो दे देना।
Word by Word
स्त्रीwoman; (contextually) wife
स्त्री:
TypeNoun
Rootस्त्री
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (सामान्यतः ‘woman/wife’ अर्थे)
विप्रकारात्from (the) misconduct/wrongdoing
विप्रकारात्:
TypeNoun
Rootवि + प्र + कृ (विप्रकार)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी एकवचन; अपादान/हेतु-अर्थे ‘from/owing to misconduct’
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formविकल्पार्थक अव्यय
पुरुषःthe man; (contextually) the husband
पुरुषः:
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्तृ
चेत्if
चेत्:
TypeParticle
Rootचेत्
Formशर्तार्थक अव्यय (‘if’)
मोक्षम्release; (here) dissolution/separation
मोक्षम्:
TypeNoun
Rootमोक्ष
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्म
इच्छेत्should desire/wish
इच्छेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootइष् (इच्छ)
Formलोट्/विधिलिङ्? (विधिलिङ्) परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: इष्; अर्थ: ‘should desire/wish’
यथाas; according to
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
Formउपमान/प्रकारार्थक अव्यय (‘as/according to’)
गृहीतम्(what was) taken/received
गृहीतम्:
TypeParticiple
Rootग्रह् (गृह्)
Formकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘taken/received’
अस्यैto her
अस्यै:
TypePronoun
Rootइदम् (अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिक-सम्बन्धि सर्वनाम)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (‘to her’)
दद्यात्should give (back)
दद्यात्:
TypeVerb
Rootदा
Formविधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should give’
Entities Mentioned
P
puruṣa (husband)S
strī (wife)M
mokṣa (separation)Y
yathāgṛhīta (received property)FAQs
It standardizes settlement and reduces bargaining conflict: dissolution is paired with a clear restitution rule to prevent enrichment through separation.
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