Arthashastra 3.5.17: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 5, Sutra 17

Devanagari script

न चैकमकारणान्निर्विभजेत ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.5.17

Transliteration

na caikam akāraṇān nirvibhajeta

Translation

किसी एक बंदे को बिना वजह बाँट से बाहर नहीं रखना चाहिए। बुरा काम किया हो तभी अलग करो।

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Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Particle (Negation)
• Root: न
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्

• च: and / also
• Type: Particle (Conjunction)
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• एकम्: one; a single
• Type: Noun/Adjective (Numeral)
• Root: एक
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, एकवचनम्, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; विशेषणरूपेण (कारणम् इत्यस्य)

• अकारणात्: from/for no cause; without (proper) reason
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (√कृ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, एकवचनम्, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः; नञ्-पूर्वपदेन निषेधः (अ-कारण)

• निर्विभजेत: should not divide/apportion/separate
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भज्
• Form: लिङ् (विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; उपसर्गः: निर्-; अर्थः: विभज् = विभागं कुर्यात्

Entities Mentioned

• father/partitioning authority
• individual heir

More Details

FAQs

What does this sūtra prohibit in inheritance partition?

Arbitrary exclusion or adverse separation of a single heir without a stated, valid cause.

How would an administrator use this rule?

As a baseline: unequal outcomes require justification; otherwise the partition is presumptively invalid or contestable.