Arthashastra 3.7.2: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 7, Sutra 2

Devanagari script

माता भस्त्रा यस्य रेतस्तस्यापत्यमित्यपरे ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.7.2

Transliteration

mātā bhastrā yasya retastasyāpatyamityapare

Translation

മാതാവ് ഒരു തോല്‍സഞ്ചി മാത്രമാണ്; ആരുടെ വീര്യമാണോ അത്, അയാളുടേതാണ് സന്താനം എന്ന് മറ്റുള്ളവര്‍ പറയുന്നു.

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Word by Word

• माता: Mother
• Type: Noun
• Root: मा
• Form: feminine, nominative singular, from √मा (to measure) + स्त्री प्रत्यय टाप्
• In statecraft: Mother; the woman who gives birth to a child

• भस्त्रा: Womb, uterus
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्त्रा
• Form: feminine, nominative singular
• In statecraft: Womb; the reproductive organ that holds the fetus; also means 'bag' or 'receptacle'

• यस्य: Of whom, whose
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive singular, relative pronoun

• रेतस्: Semen, seed
• Type: Noun
• Root: रिम्
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative singular, from √रिम् (to let flow)
• In statecraft: Semen; male reproductive fluid; in Arthashastra context, refers to the biological contribution from the father

• तस्य: Of him, his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive singular, demonstrative pronoun

• अपत्यम्: Offspring, child, descendant
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपत्य
• Form: neuter, nominative singular, derived from अप + तन् (to extend/spread)
• In statecraft: Offspring, child; in legal context, the legitimate heir who inherits from the father whose seed produced the child

• इति: Thus, so (end of quotation)
• Type: Particle
• Root: इति
• Form: indeclinable, quotative marker

• अपरे: Others, other authorities
• Type: Adjective/Pronoun
• Root: अपर
• Form: masculine, nominative plural, meaning 'others, some others'
• In statecraft: Other scholars/authorities; refers to alternative legal opinion in Arthashastra discourse

Sandhi Notes

• The verse is in prose form with all words clearly separated
• The structure is: माता भस्त्रा यस्य रेतस् तस्य अपत्यम् इति अपरे
• Each pada stands independently without phonetic combination

Entities Mentioned

• Apare (Others)

Topic and Governance

Prakarana (topic)

Dāyakrama (Distinction of Sons)

Governance domain

Jurisprudence

Vocabulary Breakdown

Technical Terms

FAQs

What is the 'Seed Theory' of paternity?

The opposing view ('Apare') argues that the mother is only a vessel (bhastrā), and ownership of the child belongs exclusively to the biological father (the provider of the seed).