Arthashastra — Adhyakshaprachara, Sutra 14

Devanagari script

गणिकामकामां रुन्धतो निष्पातयतो वा व्रणविदारणेन वा रूपं उपघ्नतः सहस्रं दण्डः ॥ कZ_०२.२७.१४ ॥

Transliteration

gaṇikām akāmāṃ rundhato niṣpātayato vā vraṇavidāraṇena vā rūpaṃ upaghnataḥ sahasraṃ daṇḍaḥ

Translation

ਅਣਚਾਹੀ ਗਣਿਕਾ ਨੂੰ ਕੈਦ ਕਰਨਾ, ਉਸਨੂੰ ਕੱਢ ਕੇ/ਧੱਕਾ ਦੇ ਕੇ ਬਾਹਰ ਸੁੱਟਣਾ, ਜਾਂ ਜ਼ਖ਼ਮ/ਚੀਰ ਕੇ ਉਸਦੀ ਸੂਰਤ ਵਿਗਾੜਨਾ—ਇਸ ਲਈ ਇੱਕ ਹਜ਼ਾਰ (ਪਣ) ਜੁਰਮਾਨਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• गणिकाम्: a courtesan/prostitute
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणिका
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया

• अकामाम्: unwilling, not consenting
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: अकाम
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; नञ्-समासपूर्वक विशेषणम् (अ- + काम)

• रुन्धतः: of (a person) confining/restraining
• Type: Verb (participle)
• Root: रुध्
• Form: वर्तमानकाले; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; परस्मैपदी; षष्ठी/सप्तमी?—अत्र षष्ठी एकवचन (कर्तरि) ‘of one who confines/blocks’

• निष्पातयतः: or of (a person) expelling/throwing out
• Type: Verb (participle)
• Root: निष् + पत् (caus.) → निष्पातय
• Form: वर्तमानकाले; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; परस्मैपदी; षष्ठी एकवचन (कर्तरि) ‘of one who drives out/expels/throws out’

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय

• व्रणविदारणेन: by tearing a wound / by causing laceration
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रण-विदारण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; तृतीया (करण)

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय

• रूपम्: appearance, form (of the body)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया

• उपघ्नतः: of (a person) damaging/maiming (her)
• Type: Verb (participle)
• Root: उप + हन् (→ उपघ्न)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; परस्मैपदी; षष्ठी एकवचन (कर्तरि) ‘of one who injures/damages’

• सहस्रम्: one thousand (as the amount)
• Type: Numeral (used as noun)
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया (दण्डस्य परिमाणम्)

• दण्डः: the fine/punishment
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा; विधेय (predicate)

Entities Mentioned

• gaṇikā
• offender
• state authority (implied)

More Details

FAQs

Why is disfigurement punished heavily here?

Because it is both a violent crime and an economic injury that destroys livelihood and state-regulated revenue potential tied to the courtesan’s earning capacity.