Arthashastra 3.9.24: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 9, Sutra 24

Devanagari script

सर्व एव विवादाः सामन्तप्रत्ययाः ॥ कZ_०३.९.२४ ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.9.24

Transliteration

sarva eva vivādāḥ sāmantapratyayāḥ

Translation

असल में, हर झगड़े में पड़ोसी ही सच बता सकते हैं। उनकी गवाह ही सबसे इम्पॉर्टेंट है।

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• सर्वे: all
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: सर्व-शब्दः; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (विशेषणरूपेण)

• एव: indeed/only/just
• Type: Particle
• Root: एव
• Form: निपातः; अव्ययम्; अवधारणार्थकः

• विवादाः: disputes (legal cases)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि + वद्
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; ‘विवाद’ (कलह/विवाद)

• सामन्तप्रत्ययाः: are based on/turn on the (grounds/evidence) relating to a sāman­ta (vassal/neighboring chief)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन्त + प्रत्यय
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; ‘सामन्तस्य प्रत्ययाः’ इति विग्रहः; समासान्तपदं ‘प्रत्यय’

Entities Mentioned

• sāmanta (neighbors)

More Details

FAQs

How does sāmantapratyaya shape Kauṭilya’s dispute-resolution model?

It makes local verifiability the default evidentiary foundation, enabling scalable governance where central authorities cannot directly observe most facts.