Arthashastra 3.4.11: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 4, Sutra 11

Devanagari script

कुतो हि साध्वीजनस्यच्छलम् ॥ कZ_०३.४.११ ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.4.11

Transliteration

kuto hi sādhvījanasyacchalam

Translation

अच्छी औरत का धोखा देना मुश्किल है। इसे कैसे सोचा जा सकता है कि वो कोई गलत काम करेगी?

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Word by Word

• कुतः: whence? from what cause? how could it be?
• Type: Indeclinable (Interrogative adverb)
• Root: कु
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्ययम्; अपादानार्थे/हेतौ ‘कुतः’ = ‘कस्मात् कारणात्/कुतः’

• हि: indeed; for
• Type: Particle
• Root: हि
• Form: निपातः; अवधान/हेतु-समर्थकः (often ‘indeed/for’)

• साध्वीजनस्य: of respectable people / of the virtuous folk
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्वी + जन
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः ‘जन’ (समूह/व्यक्ति); एकवचनम्; षष्ठी विभक्तिः; ‘साध्वीजन’ = साध्वीनां जनः / साधुजनः (respectable people)

• छलम्: deceit; trickery; fraud
• Type: Noun
• Root: छल
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्तिः (contextually predicate nominative/accusative)

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FAQs

What administrative attitude does this verse represent?

A presumption-based approach: trusting reputational virtue to reduce intrusive controls.