Sangrama Adhyaya 3 Sutra 45 - Arthashastra | Oriya | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 45

Devanagari script

सेनापतिरर्थमानाभ्यामभिसंस्कृतमनीकमाभाषेत शतसाहस्रो राजवधः पञ्चाशत्साहस्रः सेनापतिकुमारवधः दशसाहस्रः प्रवीरमुख्यवधः पञ्चसाहस्रो हस्तिरथवधः साहस्रोऽश्ववधः शत्यः पत्तिमुख्यवधः शिरो विंशतिकं भोगद्वैगुण्यं स्वयं ग्राहश्च इति ॥ कZ_१०.३.४५ ॥

Transliteration

senāpatir arthamānābhyām abhisaṃskṛtam anīkam ābhāṣeta śatasāhasro rājavadhaḥ pañcāśatsāhasraḥ senāpatikumāravadhaḥ daśasāhasraḥ pravīramukhyavadhaḥ pañcasāhasro hastirathavadhaḥ sāhasro'śvavadhaḥ śatyaḥ pattimukhyavadhaḥ śiro viṃśatikaṃ bhogadvaiguṇyaṃ svayaṃ grāhaś ca iti

Translation

ସେନାପତି ପୁରସ୍କାର ଓ ସମ୍ମାନରେ ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତ ହୋଇଥିବା ସେନାକୁ ଏଭଳି ସମ୍ବୋଧନ କରିବେ— ‘ଶତସାହସ୍ର ରାଜବଧ ପାଇଁ; ପଞ୍ଚାଶତ୍ସାହସ୍ର ସେନାପତିଙ୍କ ପୁତ୍ର/ଉତ୍ତରାଧିକାରୀବଧ ପାଇଁ; ଦଶସାହସ୍ର ପ୍ରମୁଖ ବୀରବଧ ପାଇଁ; ପଞ୍ଚସାହସ୍ର ହସ୍ତି କିମ୍ବା ରଥଯୋଧାବଧ ପାଇଁ; ସାହସ୍ର ଅଶ୍ୱାରୋହୀବଧ ପାଇଁ; ଶତ ପ୍ରମୁଖ ପଦାତିବଧ ପାଇଁ; ଶିର ଆଣିଲେ ବିଂଶତି; ଲବ୍ଧ ଲୁଟରେ ଭୋଗାଧିକାର ଦ୍ୱିଗୁଣ; ଏବଂ ଜୀବନ୍ତ ବନ୍ଦୀ ଧରିଲେ (ପୁରସ୍କାର)’—ଏଭଳି।

Word by Word

सेनापतिःthe commander (general)

अर्थमानाभ्याम्by (reference to) money and valuation/honour

अभिसंस्कृतम्duly assessed/regulated

अनीकम्the troop/unit (formation)

आभाषेतshould announce/proclaim

शतसाहस्रःone hundred thousand

राजवधःkilling of the king

पञ्चाशत्साहस्रःfifty thousand

सेनापतिकुमारवधःkilling of the general’s son

दशसाहस्रःten thousand

प्रवीरमुख्यवधःkilling of a chief champion/hero

पञ्चसाहस्रःfive thousand

हस्तिरथवधःkilling involving elephant/chariot (troops)

साहस्रःone thousand

अश्ववधःkilling of a horse / horseman (category)

शत्यःone hundred

पत्तिमुख्यवधःkilling of a chief infantryman

शिरःa head

विंशतिकम्twenty (as an amount)

भोगद्वैगुण्यम्doubling of the benefit/enjoyment

स्वयम्personally

ग्राहःthe captor

चand

इतिthus

Entities Mentioned

senāpati

rājan

pravīra

hasti

ratha

aśva

patti

FAQs

What is the policy logic behind graded rewards?

It aligns individual risk-taking with strategic value: higher payouts for high-impact targets (king, commanders, champions) and smaller payouts for lower-impact kills.

Why reward prisoner-taking and heads?

Heads serve as verifiable proof for claims; prisoners provide intelligence, leverage, and bargaining value—so policy incentivizes capture, not only killing.