Arthashastra 3.5.23: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 5, Sutra 23

Devanagari script

उदपात्राण्यपि निष्किंचना विभजेरनित्याचार्याः ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.5.23

Transliteration

udapātrāṇy api niṣkiṃcanā vibhajer anityācāryāḥ

Translation

साधु लोगों के पास अगर सिर्फ़ पानी रखने के बर्तन है, तो वो भी बाँटना है। जो लोग थोड़ा इधर-उधर रहते हैं, उनका भी यही रूल है।

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Word by Word

• उदपात्राणि: water-vessels; small household vessels (even such items)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक + पात्र
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचन; (उदकस्य पात्रम्)

• अपि: even; also
• Type: Particle
• Root: अपि
• Form: निपात; समुच्चय/अपेक्षा/अतिशयार्थे—‘even/also’

• निष्किंचनाः: the destitute; those having nothing
• Type: Noun (adjectival)
• Root: निष्किञ्चन
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (विभजेरन् इत्यस्य कर्तृ)

• विभजेरन्: should distribute; should apportion
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + भज्
• Form: लिङ् (विधिलिङ्); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; विध्यर्थ—‘should distribute/should apportion’

• अनित्याचार्याः: temporary (non-permanent) teachers
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनित्य + आचार्य
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; कर्तृपद; ‘अनित्याः आचार्याः’

Entities Mentioned

• ascetics (niṣkiṃcana)
• irregular ascetics (anityācārya)
• minimal property items (water vessels)

More Details

FAQs

Why mention partition of even water-vessels?

To signal that administrators must address disputes even over minimal property; small items can still trigger conflict.

What is implied by referencing 'anityācārya'?

The text adopts a governance-realistic view: not all renunciants are uniformly disciplined, so rules must anticipate and manage disputes.