Kantakashodhana Adhyaya 6 Sutra 16 - Arthashastra | Japanese | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 16

Devanagari script

कर्माभिग्रहस्तु मुषितवेश्मनः प्रवेशनिष्कसनमद्वारेण द्वारस्य संधिना बीजेन वा वेधमुत्तमागारस्य जालवातायननीप्रवेधमारोहणावतरणे च कुड्यस्य वेधमुपखननं वा गूढद्रव्यनिक्षेपणग्रहणोपायमुपदेशोपलभ्यमभ्यन्तरच्छेदोत्करपरिमर्दोपकरणमभ्यन्तरकृतं विद्यात् ॥ कZ_०४.६.१६ ॥

Transliteration

karmābhigrahas tu muṣitaveśmanaḥ praveśaniṣkasanam advāreṇa, dvārasya saṃdhinā, bījena vā vedham; uttamāgārasya jālavātāyananīpravedham; ārohaṇāvataraṇe ca kuḍyasya vedham upakhananaṃ vā; gūḍhadravyanikṣepaṇagrahaṇopāyam upadeśopalabhyam; abhyantaracchedotkaraparimardopakaraṇam abhyantarakṛtaṃ vidyāt ।

Translation

「行為による識別」（karmābhigraha）について言えば、盗みに入られた家で、出入りが戸口を通っていないこと、戸の継ぎ目を穿つこと、または鍵・器具によってこじ開けること、上等な家の格子・窓・通風口を穿つこと、壁に穴を開けるか坑道を掘って上り下りしたこと、教えによって学んだ財物の隠匿・回収の方法——これらの徴候に加え、内部で見つかる切断痕、積み上げられたもの、擦れ・汚れの跡、道具は、内通者による犯行であることを示す。

Word by Word

कर्माभिग्रहःthe act of seizing/committing the deed (i.e., the internal burglary operation)

तुbut, indeed

मुषित-वेश्मनःof a house that has been robbed

प्रवेशनिष्कसनम्entry and exit

अद्वारेणthrough a non-door (i.e., not by the door)

द्वारस्यof the door

संधिनाby the joint/seam (of the door)

बीजेनby a ‘seed’/peg (a tool/implement)

वाor

वेधम्a boring/perforation

उत्तमागारस्यof the main/upper (principal) house

जालवातायननीप्रवेधम्boring through the lattice-window’s recess/opening

आरोहण-अवतरणेin climbing up and climbing down

चand

कुड्यस्यof the wall

वेधम्boring (a hole)

उपखननम्undermining/digging under

वाor

गूढद्रव्यनिक्षेपणग्रहणोपायम्the method for depositing and taking hidden valuables

उपदेश-उपलभ्यम्ascertainable by instruction or by discovery (evidence)

अभ्यन्तरच्छेदोत्करपरिमर्दोपकरणम्tools for internal cutting, digging/raising earth, and rubbing/smoothing

अभ्यन्तरकृतम्done from within / internally committed

विद्यात्one should know/recognize

Entities Mentioned

household

burglar(s)

insider collaborator

FAQs

What is the administrative innovation in this sutra?

A proto-forensic checklist: infer culpability from entry/exit methods, tool marks, and internal traces to distinguish insider vs outsider theft.

Why emphasize ‘methods learned by instruction’?

It flags organized/experienced thieves and insider collusion—knowledge of hiding places and retrieval techniques implies prior access or coaching.