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

Человек арья, захваченный под знаменем, то есть взятый в войне или набеге по закону, должен быть освобождён либо пропорционально отработанному времени, либо при уплате половины цены.

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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’

• 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

• 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…’

• 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’

• 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’

Entities Mentioned

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

More Details

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.