Arthashastra 3.7.6: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 7, Sutra 6

Devanagari script

सगोत्रेणान्यगोत्रेण वा नियुक्तेन क्षेत्रजातः क्षेत्रजः पुत्रः ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.7.6

Transliteration

sagotreṇānyagotreṇa vā niyuktena kṣetrajātaḥ kṣetrajaḥ putraḥ

Translation

अगर कोई और आदमी को यह काम के लिए लगाया जाये, उससे पैदा हुआ बेटा क्षेत्रज कहलाता है। वो आदमी अपने ही गोत्र का हो या किसी और का, फर्क नहीं पड़ता।

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Word by Word

• सगोत्रेण: by/with a man of the same lineage (gotra)
• Type: Noun (with indeclinable prefix)
• Root: स-गोत्र
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गम्; करण/सहकारक-प्रयोगः (‘by/with one of the same gotra’)

• अन्यगोत्रेण: by/with a man of a different lineage
• Type: Noun (with adjective)
• Root: अन्य-गोत्र
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गम्; करण/सहकारक-प्रयोगः (‘by/with one of another gotra’)

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्ययम्

• नियुक्तेन: by an appointed/authorized man
• Type: Participle (verbal adjective)
• Root: नि-युज्
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त), तृतीया-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गम्; ‘appointed/authorized (person)’

• क्षेत्रजातः: born as ‘field-born’ (i.e., begotten through niyoga in the wife/field)
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: क्षेत्र-जात
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गम्; ‘field-born’ (born in/for the kṣetra)

• क्षेत्रजः: the ‘kṣetrajā’ son (a legally recognized category of son)
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: क्षेत्र-ज
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गम्; ‘born of the field’

• पुत्रः: a son
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गम्; विधेय-पदं (‘is a son’)

Entities Mentioned

• kṣetraja putra
• sagotra
• anyagotra
• niyukta (appointed procreator)

More Details

FAQs

Why does Kautilya specify sagotra/anyagotra for a kṣetraja son?

It clarifies that legal recognition hinges on appointment (niyoga), not on lineage-matching alone—reducing disputes over legitimacy and succession.