Adhyakshaprachara Adhyaya 28 Sutra 20 - Arthashastra | Marathi | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 20

Devanagari script

परस्य भार्यां कन्यां वित्तं वापहरन्तं शवित्तं वापहरन्तं शङ्कितमाविग्नमुद्भाण्डीकृतं महाभाण्डेन मूर्ध्नि भारेणावच्छादयन्तं सद्योगृहीतलिङ्गिनमलिङ्गिनं वा प्रव्रजितमलक्ष्यव्याधितं भयविकारिणं गूढसारभाण्डशासनशस्त्राग्नियोगं विषहस्तं दीर्घपथिकममुद्रं चोपग्राहयेत् ॥ कZ_०२.२८.२० ॥

Transliteration

parasya bhāryāṃ kanyāṃ vittaṃ vāpaharantaṃ śa-vittaṃ vāpaharantaṃ śaṅkitam āvignam udbhāṇḍīkṛtaṃ mahābhāṇḍena mūrdhni bhāreṇāvacchādayantaṃ sadyogṛhīta-liṅginam aliṅginaṃ vā pravrajitam alakṣya-vyādhitaṃ bhaya-vikāriṇaṃ gūḍha-sāra-bhāṇḍa-śāsana-śastra-agniyogaṃ viṣa-hastaṃ dīrgha-pathikam amudraṃ copagrāhayet

Translation

तो ताब्यात घ्यावा: जो दुसऱ्याची पत्नी किंवा कन्या पळवितो किंवा धन चोरतो; जो संशयास्पद, अस्वस्थ/घाबरलेला किंवा टाळाटाळ करणारा दिसतो; जो डोक्यावर मोठा भार घेऊन त्याखाली माल झाकून लपवितो; जो नुकतेच संन्याशाची चिन्हे धारण करतो (किंवा चिन्हे नसतानाही तसा दावा करतो); जो प्रव्रजिताचा वेष घेतो, अस्पष्ट ‘आजारी’ असल्याचे भासवतो, किंवा भीतीमुळे विकृत वर्तन करतो; जो लपविलेले मौल्यवान माल, गुप्त/बनावट आदेश, शस्त्रे, आग लावण्याची साधने, हातात विष बाळगतो; जो शिक्का-पास नसलेला दूरचा प्रवासी; आणि अशा प्रकारचे इतर संशयित.

Word by Word

परस्यof another (person)

भार्याम्wife

कन्याम्unmarried girl / maiden

वित्तम्wealth, property

वाor

अपहरन्तम्one who is carrying off / abducting / stealing

शवित्तम्stolen wealth / illicit property

वाor

अपहरन्तम्one who is stealing / carrying off

शङ्कितम्suspected / suspicious

आविग्नम्agitated, distressed

उद्भाण्डीकृतम्made into/posing as a petty trader (packman)

महाभाण्डेनwith a large pack/load

मूर्ध्निon the head

भारेणwith a burden/load

अवच्छादयन्तम्covering, concealing

सद्यःimmediately, just now

गृहीतtaken, seized, assumed

लिङ्गिनम्one bearing a mark/guise (e.g., ascetic insignia)

अलिङ्गिनम्one without a mark/insignia

वाor

प्रव्रजितम्one who has renounced / gone forth (ascetic)

अलक्ष्यunnoticed, unrecognizable

व्याधितम्ill, diseased

भयfear

विकारिणम्one whose behavior is altered (from fear)

गूढhidden, concealed

सारvaluable substance, valuables

भाण्डgoods, wares

शासनorder, official document/permit

शस्त्रweapon

अग्निfire

योगम्one connected with (such) dealings/contrivances

विषpoison

हस्तम्one with poison in hand; a poison-carrier

दीर्घlong

पथिकम्a long-distance traveler

अमुद्रम्without a seal/token/pass

चand

उपग्राहयेत्should apprehend / take into custody

Entities Mentioned

nāvādhyakṣa (implied authority at crossing)

travellers

renunciants (liṅgin/pravrajita)

FAQs

What is the policy rationale for stopping ‘amudra’ long-distance travellers?

Long-distance movement without an official seal-pass is treated as a high-risk indicator for crime, espionage, or contraband.

What kind of threats are anticipated at crossings?

Abduction, theft, forged orders, concealed valuables, weapons, arson implements, and poison—i.e., both criminal and political-security threats.