Arthashastra 3.2.18: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 2, Sutra 18

Devanagari script

गान्धर्वासुरोपभुक्तं सवृद्धिकमुभयं दाप्येत राक्षसपैशाचोपभुक्तं स्तेयं दद्यात् ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.2.18

Transliteration

gāndharvāsuropabhuktaṃ savṛddhikam ubhayaṃ dāpyeta rākṣasapaiśācopabhuktaṃ steyaṃ dadyāt

Translation

ഗാന്ധർവമോ ആസുരമോ ആയ വിവാഹരൂപങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നുണ്ടായ ഉപഭോഗം/കൈവശംവെക്കൽ സംബന്ധിച്ച കേസുകളിൽ മൂലധനത്തോടൊപ്പം വർദ്ധി/പലിശ—ഇരണ്ടും—അടപ്പിക്കണം. എന്നാൽ രാക്ഷസമോ പൈശാചമോ ആയ രൂപങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നുള്ള ഉപഭോഗം/കൈവശംവെക്കൽ മോഷണമായി കണക്കാക്കി അതനുസരിച്ച് ശിക്ഷിക്കണം।

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Word by Word

• गान्धर्व: (case of) Gandharva-type (marriage/union)
• Type: Noun (adjectival)
• Root: गन्धर्व
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (नपुंसकलिङ्गे विशेषणवत्) — ‘गान्धर्व’ इति प्रकारवाचक-विशेषणम्

• असुर: (case of) Asura-type (marriage/union)
• Type: Noun (adjectival)
• Root: असुर
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (नपुंसकलिङ्गे विशेषणवत्) — ‘असुर’ इति प्रकारवाचक-विशेषणम्

• उपभुक्तम्: having been enjoyed/used (i.e., cohabited with)
• Type: Verb (PPP)
• Root: उप-√भुज्
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त (भूतकर्मणि), प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; ‘उपभुज्’ = उपभोगं कृतम्

• स-वृद्धिकम्: together with interest/increment
• Type: Noun (adjectival)
• Root: वृद्धि
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; ‘स’ = सहितम्, ‘वृद्धिक’ = वृद्ध्या सहितम्

• उभयम्: both (together)
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective (substantive)
• Root: उभय
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; ‘द्वयम्’/‘both (items/amounts)’

• दाप्येत: should be made to pay/should be compelled to give
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (प्रयोज्य)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ्-प्रयोगः, आत्मनेपदम्, तृतीया-एकवचनम्; कारणार्थक-प्रयोगः (णिच्-भावः): ‘दापयेत्/दाप्येत’ = दानं कारयेत्, दण्ड/प्रतिदानं दापयेत्

• राक्षस: (case of) Rakshasa-type (marriage/union)
• Type: Noun (adjectival)
• Root: राक्षस
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (नपुंसकलिङ्गे विशेषणवत्) — प्रकारवाचक-विशेषणम्

• पैशाच: (case of) Paishacha-type (marriage/union)
• Type: Noun (adjectival)
• Root: पैशाच
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (नपुंसकलिङ्गे विशेषणवत्) — प्रकारवाचक-विशेषणम्

• उपभुक्तम्: having been enjoyed/used (cohabited with)
• Type: Verb (PPP)
• Root: उप-√भुज्
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त (भूतकर्मणि), प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्गम्

• स्तेयम्: theft; an act treated as stealing
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तेय
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; ‘चौर्यकर्म’

• दद्यात्: should give; should pay (as penalty/compensation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, तृतीया-एकवचनम्; ‘दद्यात्’ = दानं कुर्यात्/दण्डं प्रयच्छेत्

Entities Mentioned

• spouses
• offender
• court/state

More Details

FAQs

How does Kauṭilya differentiate remedies across marriage types?

He uses a graded legal response: consensual/transactional irregularities (Gāndharva/Āsura) trigger restitution with increment, while violent/coercive forms (Rākṣasa/Paiśāca) are escalated to criminal theft liability to deter predation.