Kantakashodhana Adhyaya 4 Sutra 14 - Arthashastra | Marathi | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 14

Devanagari script

यं वा मन्त्रयोगमूलकर्मभिः श्माशानिकैर्वा संवदनकरकं मन्येत तं सत्त्री ब्रूयात् अमुष्य भार्यां स्नुषां दुहितरं वा कामये सा मां प्रतिकामयतामयं चार्थः प्रतिगृह्यतामिति ॥ कZ_०४.४.१४ ॥

Transliteration

yaṃ vā mantrayogamūlakarmabhiḥ śmāśānikair vā saṃvadanakarakaṃ manyeta taṃ sattrī brūyāt: amuṣya bhāryāṃ snuṣāṃ duhitaraṃ vā kāmaye; sā māṃ pratikāmayatām; ayaṃ cārthaḥ pratigṛhyatām iti

Translation

ज्याला कोणी मंत्र-योगमूलक कर्मांनी किंवा श्मशानिकांद्वारे (श्मशान-संबंधी साधक) गुप्त संपर्क/सांठगाठ घडवून आणणारा समजेल, त्याला सत्त्री (गुप्तहेर) म्हणेल: ‘मला अमुकाची पत्नी, सून किंवा मुलगी हवी आहे; तिनेही मला हवे मानावे; आणि हा पैसा स्वीकारावा.’

Word by Word

यम्whom

वाor

मन्त्रयोगमूलकर्मभिःby acts/operations grounded in mantra-application

श्माशानिकैःby cremation-ground (occult) practitioners

वाor

संवदनकरकम्a conversation-causer; an intermediary/go-between

मन्येतshould consider (to be)

तम्him

सत्त्रीa female agent (decoy/spy)

ब्रूयात्should say

अमुष्यof that man

भार्याम्wife

स्नुषाम्daughter-in-law

दुहितरम्daughter

वाor

कामयेI desire

साshe

माम्me

प्रतिकामयताम्let her desire (me) in return

अयम्this

चand

अर्थःthe money/consideration

प्रतिगृह्यताम्let it be accepted/received

इतिthus

Entities Mentioned

sattrī (female agent)

saṃvadanakāraka (liaison/communication broker)

śmāśānika (cremation-ground practitioner)

FAQs

Why does the text use sexual solicitation language in an investigative context?

It functions as a trap to expose a broker who facilitates illicit access or manipulation; acceptance of the proposal and payment supplies actionable proof of criminal service-provision.