Arthashastra 3.4.38: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 4, Sutra 38

Devanagari script

ततः पतिसोदर्यं गच्छेत् ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.4.38

Transliteration

tataḥ patisodaryaṃ gacchet

Translation

उसके बाद वो पति के बड़े या छोटे भाई के पास जा सकती है। यह तब होता है जब पति मर गया हो और बच्चे हो।

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter; then; from that point
• Type: Pronoun (used adverbially)
• Root: तद्
• Form: तद्-प्रातिपदिकस्य तस्मात्-रूपम्; अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणम् (ablative sense: 'from that/thereafter')

• पतिसोदर्यम्: the husband’s uterine sibling (esp. husband’s brother of the same mother)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोदर्य (from उदर) with पति-
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; कर्मपदम्; 'पतेः सोदर्यः' इति—पति-सम्बन्धिनं सोदर्यं (husband’s uterine sibling)
• Compound: Tatpuruṣa (ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa)
• In statecraft: पतिसोदर्यः/पतिसोदर्यम्—पति-सम्बन्धि सोदर्य (husband’s uterine brother/sister), विवाह/स्त्रीधर्म-प्रकरणेषु निषिद्ध/विवाद्य-सम्बन्धवाचकः

• गच्छेत्: should go; should approach
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (optative) परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; विध्यर्थः—'should go/should approach'

Sandhi Notes

• Sandhi resolution: पतिसोदर्यं = पति + सोदर्यम् (समास/समाहार; no external sandhi change beyond compounding)
• Other words are in pausa form: ततः | पतिसोदर्यम् | गच्छेत्

Entities Mentioned

• wife
• husband's full brother

Topic and Governance

Prakarana (topic)

Order of permissible marital association after waiting period

Governance domain

Civil law; kinship regulation

Vocabulary Breakdown

Technical Terms

FAQs

What policy goal is served by prioritizing the husband’s brother?

It keeps property, dependents, and lineage responsibilities within the same agnatic household, minimizing administrative conflict over assets and guardianship.