Sutra 39

Devanagari script

अहिरण्यसुवर्णाः पाषढाः साधवः ॥ कZ_०३.१६.३९ ॥

Transliteration

ahiraṇyasuvarṇāḥ pāṣaḍhāḥ sādhavaḥ

Translation

ਇਹ ਪਾਸ਼ੰਡ (ਵਿਧਰਮੀ/ਪੰਥੀ ਤਪੱਸਵੀ), ‘ਅਹਿਰਣ੍ਯ-ਸੁਵਰਨ’ (ਅਰਥਾਤ ਸੋਨਾ-ਧਨ ਨਾ ਰੱਖਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਸੰਨਿਆਸੀ) ਅਤੇ ਸਾਧੂ (ਧਾਰਮਿਕ ਭਿਖਾਰੀ) ਹਨ।

Word by Word

• अहिरण्यसुवर्णाः: (those) without money and (those) with gold / gold-possessing
• Type: Noun (Adjective used substantively)
• Root: अहिरण्य + सुवर्ण
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; समासान्त-पदं, विशेषणवत् (पाषढाः इत्यस्य)

• पाषढाः: heretics / sectarians / impostors
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाषण्ड
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः

• साधवः: good/virtuous people; respectable persons
• Type: Noun (Adjective used substantively)
• Root: साधु
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः

Entities Mentioned

• pāṣaṇḍas
• ahiraṇyasuvarṇas (renunciants)
• sādhus

More Details

FAQs

Why would the Arthashastra classify ascetic/sectarian groups?

Classification enables tailored enforcement: some groups may be treated with penance-based sanctions, monitored for fraud/crime, and regulated to prevent disorder under the cover of religiosity.