Kantakashodhana Adhyaya 8 Sutra 22 - Arthashastra | Kannada | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 22

Devanagari script

परं पापकर्मणां नव वेत्रलताः द्वादश कशाः द्वाव् ऊरुवेष्टौ विंशतिर्नक्तमाललताः द्वात्रिंशत्तलाः द्वौ वृश्चिकबन्धौ उल्लंबने च द्वे सूची हस्तस्य यवागूपीतस्य एकपर्वदहनमङ्गुल्याः स्नेहपीतस्य प्रतापनमेकमहः शिशिररात्रौ बल्बजाग्रशय्या च ॥ कZ_०४.८.२२ ॥

Transliteration

paraṃ pāpakarmaṇāṃ nava vetralatāḥ dvādaśa kaśāḥ dvāv ūruveṣṭau viṃśatir naktamālalatāḥ dvātriṃśat talāḥ dvau vṛścikabandhau ullaṃbane ca dve sūcī hastasya yavāgūpītasya ekaparvadahanam aṅgulyāḥ snehapītasya pratāpanam ekamahaḥ śiśirarātrau balbajāgraśayyā ca

Translation

ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಘೋರ ಅಪರಾಧಗಳಿಗೆ—ವೇತ್ರ/ಲತೆಯಿಂದ ಒಂಬತ್ತು ಹೊಡೆತಗಳು; ಹನ್ನೆರಡು ಚಾವಟಿಯ ಹೊಡೆತಗಳು; ತೊಡೆಯ ಮೇಲೆ ಎರಡು ಬಂಧನಗಳು; ನಕ್ತಮಾಲ ಕಡ್ಡಿ/ಲತೆಯಿಂದ ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತು ಹೊಡೆತಗಳು; ಮೂವತ್ತೆರಡು ಕೈತಟ್ಟು ಹೊಡೆತಗಳು; ‘ವೃಶ್ಚಿಕ-ಬಂಧ’ ಎರಡು; ನೇತುಹಾಕುವ ದಂಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಎರಡು ಸೂಜಿಗಳು; ಯವಾಗೂ (ಗಂಜಿ) ಕುಡಿದವನ ಕೈ ಬೆರಳಿನ ಒಂದು ಸಂಧಿಯನ್ನು ದಹನ ಮಾಡುವುದು; ಎಣ್ಣೆ ಕುಡಿದವನಿಗೆ ಒಂದು ದಿನ ತಾಪ/ಯಾತನೆ; ಮತ್ತು ಚಳಿರಾತ್ರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಬಲ್ಬಜ ಹುಲ್ಲಿನ ಹಾಸಿಗೆ।

Word by Word

परम्further; moreover; additionally (as an intensifier)

पापकर्मणाम्of evil-doers / of those who commit sinful acts

नवnine

वेत्रलताःcane lashes/rods (whips made of cane)

द्वादशtwelve

कशाःwhips; lashes

द्वौtwo

ऊरुवेष्टौtwo thigh-bindings/straps (for binding the thighs)

विंशतिःtwenty

नक्तमाललताःnaktamāla creepers (used as lashes/cords)

द्वात्रिंशत्thirty-two

तलाःflat-beating strokes/implements (‘tala’ blows)

द्वौtwo

वृश्चिकबन्धौtwo ‘scorpion-bindings’ (a specific binding technique)

उल्लंबनेin suspension/hanging (as a method)

चand

द्वेtwo

सूचीneedle(s)

हस्तस्यof the hand

यवागूपीतस्यof one who has drunk yava-gruel

एकपर्वदहनम्burning (cauterization) of one joint/segment

अङ्गुल्याःof the finger

स्नेहपीतस्यof one who has drunk oil/ghee

प्रतापनम्heating; torment by heat

एकम्one

अहःday (for one day)

शिशिररात्रौon a cold night

बल्बजाग्रशय्याa bed made of the sharp tips of balbaja grass

चand

Entities Mentioned

offenders (pāpakarmaṇaḥ)

judicial officers (implicit)

FAQs

What administrative logic underlies this catalog?

A menu of calibrated punishments enabling officials to match severity to crime category while keeping the state’s coercive toolkit explicit and repeatable.

Does the verse indicate torture or punishment?

It lists coercive bodily measures; in administrative practice these function as punitive and/or coercive instruments under state control.