Arthashastra 3.3.32: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 3, Sutra 32

Devanagari script

स्त्रीधनानीतशुल्कानामस्वाम्यं जायते स्त्रियाः ॥ कZ_०३.३.३२च्द् ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.3.32

Transliteration

strīdhana-ānīta-śulkānām asvāmyam jāyate striyāḥ

Translation

अगर कोई राजा का दुश्मन हो, कानून तोड़ता हो, या भाग जाता है, तो उसके ऊपर खराब असर पड़ता है।

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Word by Word

• स्त्रीधन: woman’s property (strīdhana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासपद; ‘स्त्रियाः धनम्’ इति)

• आनीत: brought/received (as in ‘received fees’)
• Type: Participle
• Root: नी (आ + नी)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन; ‘आनीतानाम्’ = ‘brought/received’ (qualifying शुल्कानाम्)

• शुल्क: fees/price; (here) bride-price / marriage payment
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुल्क
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन; ‘शुल्कानाम्’

• अस्वाम्यम्: absence of ownership; no title/right of ownership
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाम्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘non-ownership / absence of title’

• जायते: arises; comes about
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन्
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘arises/comes into being’

• स्त्रियाः: of the woman
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन; ‘of the woman’ (genitive of possessor/relator)

Entities Mentioned

• woman (holder of strīdhana)
• marital payment (śulka)

More Details

FAQs

How does this function as governance rather than mere morality?

By attaching property consequences to specified misconduct categories, the code uses civil disability as an enforcement tool—deterring destabilizing behavior through economic loss.