Arthashastra 3.13.33: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 13, Sutra 33

Devanagari script

प्रेतविण्मूत्रोच्छिष्टग्राहणमाहितस्य नग्नस्नापनं दण्डप्रेषणमतिक्रमणं च स्त्रीणां मूल्यनाशकरं धात्रीपरिचारिकार्धसीतिकोपचारिकाणां च मोक्षकरम् ॥

Transliteration

pretaviṇmūtrocchiṣṭagrāhaṇam āhitasya nagnasnāpanaṃ daṇḍapreṣaṇam atikramaṇaṃ ca strīṇāṃ mūlyanāśakaraṃ dhātrīparicārikārdhasītikopacārikāṇāṃ ca mokṣakaram

Translation

賃金不払いには、十（単位／日）の拘束（枷・縄による拘禁）または六パナの罰金を科す。

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Word by Word

• प्रेत-विण्-मूत्र-उच्छिष्ट-ग्राहणम्: taking/handling of a corpse, feces, urine, or leftovers (impure substances)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; ‘ग्राहण’ (कृदन्त-घञ्) ‘ग्रह्’ धातोः; समासे ‘प्रेत, विण्, मूत्र, उच्छिष्ट’ इत्येषां ग्रहणम्

• आहितस्य: of one who is appointed/assigned
• Type: Adjective (participial)
• Root: आ-धा
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, षष्ठी; ‘आहित’ (कृदन्त-क्त) = स्थापित/नियोजित; ‘आहितस्य’ = नियुक्तस्य/स्थापितस्य (कस्यचित्)

• नग्न-स्नापनम्: bathing (someone) while naked / naked bathing (as a punitive act)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्ना
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; ‘स्नापन’ (णिच्/भावे ल्युट्) = स्नानं कारयितुम्; ‘नग्न’ = वस्त्ररहित

• दण्ड-प्रेषणम्: imposition/dispatch of punishment (ordering punishment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र-इष्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; ‘प्रेषण’ (भावे ल्युट्) = प्रेषणं/प्रेषयितुम्; ‘दण्ड’ = दण्डः/शासनम्

• अतिक्रमणम्: transgression/overstepping (of authority or rule)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति-क्रम्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; ‘अतिक्रमण’ (भावे ल्युट्)

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• स्त्रीणाम्: of women
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, षष्ठी

• मूल्य-नाश-करम्: causing loss of value/price (i.e., diminishing their worth)
• Type: Adjective (kṛdanta)
• Root: कृ
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; ‘कर’ (कृदन्त-अण्) = कर्तृ/कारक; ‘मूल्यनाश’ = मूल्यस्य नाशः

• धात्री-परिचारिका-अर्ध-सीति-कोपचारिकाणाम्: of wet-nurses, attendants, ‘ardhasīti’ women, and ‘kopacārikā’ attendants (specified classes of female servants)
• Type: Noun (group)
• Root: (धात्री: धा) / (परिचारिका: चर्) / (अर्ध: अर्ध) / (सीति: √सी/सीत्?)* / (कोपचारिका: उप-चर्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, षष्ठी; विभिन्न-स्त्री-सेवक-वर्गाणां समुच्चयः

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• मोक्ष-करम्: causing release/exemption (leading to acquittal or discharge)
• Type: Adjective (kṛdanta)
• Root: कृ
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; ‘मोक्ष’ = विमोचन/मुक्ति; ‘कर’ (अण्)

Entities Mentioned

• āhita (pledged person)
• strī (women)
• dhātrī (wet-nurse)
• paricārikā (attendant)
• ardhasītikā (labor category)
• upacārikā (nurse/medical attendant)

More Details

FAQs

What is the administrative intent of listing specific degrading acts?

To define enforceable bright-line prohibitions against abusive labor practices; the law converts certain humiliations/assaults into measurable legal consequences (loss of valuation and/or release).

Why distinguish certain female service roles (dhātrī, paricārikā, etc.)?

These roles are socially sensitive and essential; Kautilya provides heightened protection and clear exit rights to prevent exploitation and to maintain public order and legitimacy.