Arthashastra — Yogavritta, Sutra 29

Devanagari script

बालवृद्धव्याधिताश्चैषामनुग्राह्याः ॥ कZ_०५.३.२९ ॥

Transliteration

bālavṛddhavyādhitāś caiṣām anugrāhyāḥ

Translation

Dalam kalangan mereka, kanak-kanak, warga tua dan orang sakit hendaklah diberi sokongan dengan pertimbangan khas.

Word by Word

• बाल: children / minors
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: बाल
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम् (used as a member in a compound); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (contextual)

• वृद्ध: the aged / elderly
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम् (used as a member in a compound); पुंलिङ्ग

• व्याधिताः: the sick / afflicted (by disease)
• Type: Noun/Adjective (past passive participle used adjectivally)
• Root: व्याधित
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्; पुंलिङ्ग; (PPP from √व्यध/व्याध् ‘to afflict’ → ‘diseased/afflicted’)

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• एषाम्: of these / among these (persons)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• अनुग्राह्याः: should be helped / are to be favored (shown assistance)
• Type: Adjective (gerundive / future passive participle)
• Root: अनुग्रह् (anu-√grah)
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्; पुंलिङ्ग; विधिलिङ्गार्थक-कर्तव्यता (‘to be shown favor/assistance’)

Entities Mentioned

• bāla (children)
• vṛddha (elderly)
• vyādhita (sick)

More Details

FAQs

How is this verse an administrative rule rather than only a moral statement?

It functions as a prioritization directive: when distributing relief or benefits, the state must explicitly rank vulnerable categories for preferential support.