Adhyakshaprachara Adhyaya 1 Sutra 28 - Arthashastra | Kannada | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 28

Devanagari script

अपत्यदारं मातापितरौ भ्रातृऋनप्राप्तव्यवहारान्भगिनीः कन्या विधवाश्चाबिभ्रतः शक्तिमतो द्वादशपणो दण्डः अन्यत्र पतितेभ्यः अन्यत्र मातुः ॥ कZ_०२.०१.२८ ॥

Transliteration

apatya-dāraṃ mātā-pitarau bhrātṛ-ṛṇa-prāpta-vyavahārān bhaginīḥ kanyā vidhavāś cābibhṛrataḥ śaktimataḥ dvādaśa-paṇo daṇḍaḥ anyatra patitebhyaḥ anyatra mātuḥ

Translation

ಸಾಮರ್ಥ್ಯವಿರುವ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿ ತನ್ನ ಮಕ್ಕಳು ಮತ್ತು ಹೆಂಡತಿ, ತಾಯಿ-ತಂದೆ, (ಹಕ್ಕಿದ್ದರೆ) ಸಹೋದರ, ಕಾನೂನಾತ್ಮಕವಾಗಿ ಬಾಕಿಯಿರುವ ದಾವೆಯಿರುವ ಸಾಲದಾರರು, ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಸಹೋದರಿ, ಅವಿವಾಹಿತ ಮಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ವಿಧವೆಯರನ್ನು ಪೋಷಿಸದೆ ಇದ್ದರೆ—ಅವನಿಗೆ ಹನ್ನೆರಡು ಪಣ ದಂಡ; ಆದರೆ ಪತಿತರಾದ/ಬಹಿಷ್ಕೃತರಾದವರ ವಿಷಯದಲ್ಲಿ ವಿನಾಯಿತಿ, ತಾಯಿಯ ವಿಷಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾತ್ರ ಅಲ್ಲ.

Word by Word

अपत्यदारम्children and wife

माताmother

पितरौ(the) father (two-form used with माता in list)

भ्रातॄन्brothers

अप्राप्तव्यवहारान्those who have not attained legal/transactional capacity

भगिनीःsisters

कन्याःunmarried girls/daughters

विधवाःwidows

चand

अबिभ्रतःof one who does not maintain (them)

शक्तिमतःof a capable/able (person)

द्वादशपणः(a) twelve-paṇa (amount)

दण्डःpenalty/fine

अन्यत्रexcept

पतितेभ्यः(in the case of) outcastes / those fallen (from status)

अन्यत्रexcept

मातुः(the) mother

Entities Mentioned

capable householder (implicit)

children

wife

parents

brother

creditors

sister

unmarried daughter

widows

rājā (as enforcer, implied)

FAQs

What is the political logic of fining neglect of dependents?

It converts household welfare into enforceable public policy: preventing destitution that would otherwise burden the state and destabilize social order.

Why mention creditors alongside family dependents?

Because honoring legally due claims sustains trust in transactions; credit discipline is treated as a pillar of economic governance.