Arthashastra 4.11.13 — Kantakashodhana, Adhyaya 11, Sutra 13

Devanagari script

मातृपितृपुत्रभ्रात्राचार्यतपस्विघातकं वात्वग्शिरःप्रादीपिकं घातयेत् ॥ कZ_०४.११.१३ ॥

Transliteration

mātṛpitṛputrabhrātrācāryatapasvighātakaṃ vā tvagśiraḥprādīpikaṃ ghātayet

Translation

मातरं पितरं पुत्रं भ्रातरं आचार्यं तपस्विनं वा यो हन्ति—अथवा त्वक्-शिरोभ्यां ‘प्रदीपिकां’ (दीपवत्) करोति—स वध्यः।

Word by Word

• मातृपितृपुत्रभ्रात्राचार्यतपस्विघातकम्: a killer of (one’s) mother, father, son, brother, teacher, or an ascetic
• Type: Noun
• Root: घातक (from √हन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; समासः—मातृ/पितृ/पुत्र/भ्रातृ/आचार्य/तपस्विन्-घातकः = ‘एतेषां घातकः’

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (either/or)

• त्वक्शिरःप्रादीपिकम्: the ‘skin-and-head’ burning/torching punishment (a severe torture/penalty)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रादीपिक (from pra-√दीप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; समासार्थः—त्वक्-शिरः-प्रादीपिकम् = ‘त्वचं शिरश्च प्रदीपयति/दीपयति इति’ (त्वक्शिरसोः प्रदीपनं/दीपन-प्रकारः)

• घातयेत्: should cause to be killed / should have executed
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (causative: घातय-)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ्-प्रयोग (आज्ञार्थ/विध्यर्थ), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच् (causative)

Entities Mentioned

• mother
• father
• son
• brother
• teacher (ācārya)
• ascetic (tapasvin)

More Details

FAQs

What is the administrative logic behind grouping kin, teacher, and ascetic together?

They are pillars of social reproduction—family lineage, instruction, and religious discipline—so violence against them is treated as an attack on the state’s moral and institutional stability.