Arthashastra 3.13.19: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 13, Sutra 19

Devanagari script

आर्यप्राणो ध्वजाहृतः कर्मकालानुरूपेण मूल्यार्धेन वा विमुच्येत ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.13.19

Transliteration

āryaprāṇo dhvajāhṛtaḥ karmakālānurūpeṇa mūlyārdhena vā vimucyeta

Translation

Seseorang berpangkat ārya yang telah ditawan di bawah panji hendaklah dibebaskan sama ada berkadaran dengan masa kerja atau dengan pembayaran separuh daripada harganya.

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Word by Word

• आर्यप्राणः: a respectable/free person (lit. ‘one having ārya-life’)
• Type: Noun (Bahuvrīhi adjective used substantively)
• Root: प्राण
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; समासः आर्य-प्राण (आर्याः प्राणाः यस्य सः) — ‘one whose life is that of an ārya/valuable person’
• Compound: Bahuvrīhi
• In statecraft: A person of ‘ārya’ status/valuable life (i.e., a respectable/free person as opposed to a slave); used in legal/penal context for valuation/compensation.

• ध्वजाहृतः: having carried off the banner/standard
• Type: Participle (verbal adjective)
• Root: हृ (√हृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ध्वज-आहृतः = ध्वजं आहृतः; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) from √हृ ‘to take/bring away’ with ā- prefix
• Compound: Tatpuruṣa (Ṣaṣṭhī/Upapada-like)
• In statecraft: ‘One who has carried off/removed a banner/standard’—an offence involving taking the dhvaja (standard) in a military/royal context.

• कर्मकालानुरूपेण: in accordance with the act and the time (i.e., proportionately)
• Type: Noun/Adjective used adverbially (instrumental)
• Root: अनुरूप
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन; कर्म-काल-अनुरूप (कर्मणः कालस्य च अनुरूपः) ‘appropriate to the act and the time’; instrumental used adverbially ‘in accordance with…’
• Compound: Tatpuruṣa (Karmadhāraya within; overall Tatpuruṣa)
• In statecraft: A legal standard: assessment/penalty/compensation should be proportionate to the nature of the act (karman) and the time/circumstances (kāla).

• मूल्यार्धेन: by (paying) half the value
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन; मूल्य-अर्ध (मूल्यस्य अर्धम्) ‘half of the value/price’; instrumental ‘by/with half the value’
• Compound: Tatpuruṣa (Ṣaṣṭhī)
• In statecraft: Half-valuation used as a rule for redemption/settlement (payment of half the assessed value).

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक ‘or’

• विमुच्येत: should be released / should be set free
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (√मुच्)
• Form: लिङ् (विधिलिङ्), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; vi- prefix; passive/impersonal sense: ‘should be released/freed’
• In statecraft: To be released/let off (from custody/penalty/liability) upon meeting the stipulated condition/payment.

Sandhi Notes

• Compounds resolved as: आर्यप्राणः = आर्य-प्राणः
• ध्वजाहृतः = ध्वज-आहृतः (ध्वजम् + आहृतः)
• कर्मकालानुरूपेण = कर्म-काल-अनुरूपेण
• मूल्यार्धेन = मूल्य-अर्धेन
• Sentence sense: ‘The ārya-person who has carried off the banner should be released in proportion to the act and time, or by (payment of) half the value.’

Entities Mentioned

• ārya person
• captor/authority (implicit)
• state (implicit)

Topic and Governance

Prakarana (topic)

Protected persons and special manumission terms

Governance domain

War administration; captive policy; status protection; manumission

Vocabulary Breakdown

Technical Terms

FAQs

What does this sutra imply about status and captivity?

Even when seized under coercive conditions, an ārya person is given structured, favorable release terms—limiting indefinite bondage.

Why offer ‘half-price’ as an option?

To accelerate reintegration and reduce administrative burden while still compensating the holder/authority.