Kantakashodhana Adhyaya 13 Sutra 13 - Arthashastra | Marathi | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 13

Devanagari script

दुर्बलं वेश्म शकटमनुत्तब्धमूर्धस्तंभं शस्त्रमनपाश्रयमप्रतिच्छन्नं श्वभ्रं कूपं कूटावपातं वा कृत्वा हिंसायां दण्डपारुष्यं विद्यात् ॥ कZ_०४.१३.१३ ॥

Transliteration

durbalaṃ veśma śakaṭam anuttabdhamūrdhastaṃbhaṃ śastram anapāśrayam apraticchannaṃ śvabhraṃ kūpaṃ kūṭāvapātaṃ vā kṛtvā hiṃsāyāṃ daṇḍapāruṣyaṃ vidyāt

Translation

कोणी दुर्बल घर, गाडी, असुरक्षित छत-स्तंभ, योग्य आधार नसलेले शस्त्र, न झाकलेला खड्डा किंवा विहीर, किंवा लपवलेला पडण्याचा सापळा करून (किंवा तसेच ठेवून) इजा केली तर, दंडासाठी ते हिंसा (दण्डपारुष्य) समजावे।

Word by Word

दुर्बलम्weak, infirm

वेश्मa house, dwelling

शकटम्a cart, wagon

अनुत्तब्ध-मूर्ध-स्तम्भम्having an unpropped/unsupported top-pillar (i.e., with the upper support not properly braced)

शस्त्रम्a weapon

अनपाश्रयम्without support/backing; not properly supported

अप्रतिच्छन्नम्uncovered, not concealed

श्वभ्रम्a pit, chasm

कूपम्a well

कूट-अवपातम्a deceptive pitfall / concealed drop

वाor

कृत्वाhaving made/caused (such)

हिंसायाम्in (the case of) causing injury/violence

दण्ड-पारुष्यम्violent assault / physical cruelty (a punishable offence)

विद्यात्one should know/recognize (as)

Entities Mentioned

house/building

cart

roof-post

weapon

pit

well

trap

FAQs

What is the policy intent behind listing hazards like uncovered wells and concealed traps?

To impose responsibility for foreseeable harms created by unsafe structures or hidden dangers, protecting ordinary movement and commerce.

Is the offense framed as mere accident or punishable violence?

It is treated as hiṃsā under daṇḍapāruṣya—i.e., punishable injury—because the harm arises from culpable creation/maintenance of danger.