Arthashastra 3.13.27: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 13, Sutra 27

Devanagari script

यथासम्भाषितं वेतनं लभेत कर्मकालानुरूपमसम्भाषितवेतनः ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.13.27

Transliteration

yathāsambhāṣitaṃ vetanaṃ labheta karmakālānurūpamasambhāṣitavetanaḥ |

Translation

వేతనం ఒప్పందమైతే ఒప్పందం ప్రకారమే పొందాలి; ఒప్పందం లేకపోతే పనికి ఖర్చైన కాలానికి అనుపాతంగా వేతనం పొందాలి.

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Word by Word

• यथा: as, according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (yathā = ‘as/according to’)

• सम्भाषितम्: agreed upon (by prior discussion/contract)
• Type: Participle (Verbal adjective)
• Root: सम्-√भाष् (भाष्)
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्गे एकवचनम् प्रथमा/द्वितीया; ‘agreed/settled by conversation’
• In statecraft: (वेतनस्य) पूर्वसम्झौता/पूर्वनिश्चितम्

• वेतनम्: wages, remuneration
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेतन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया (कर्म)
• In statecraft: मजदूरी/भृतिः (wages/remuneration)

• लभेत: should receive/obtain
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ्
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम्; विध्यर्थः (‘should obtain/receive’)

• कर्मकालानुरूपम्: proportionate to the work-time/period of work
• Type: Adjective (compound)
• Root: अनु-√रूप् (रूप) / अनुरूप (adj.)
• Form: समासः: कर्म-काल-अनुरूपम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गे एकवचनम् द्वितीया; वेतनम् इति विशेषणम् (‘proportionate to the time/period of work’)
• Compound: Tatpurusha (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध)
• In statecraft: कार्यकालानुसारं (time-rated/proportionate wage)

• असम्भाषितवेतनः: a person whose wage was not pre-agreed
• Type: Noun/Adjectival substantive (compound)
• Root: वेतन (with neg. prefix अ- + सम्भाषित)
• Form: समासः: अ-सम्भाषित-वेतनः; पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा; कर्तृपदं (यः…); ‘one whose wage has not been agreed’
• Compound: Bahuvrihi (exocentric)
• In statecraft: अपूर्वनिश्चितवेतनः (worker without pre-fixed wage)

Sandhi Notes

• यथासम्भाषितम् = यथा + सम्भाषितम् (सन्धिः: अ + स → आस्; दीर्घसन्धि)
• कर्मकालानुरूपम् = कर्म + काल + अनुरूपम् (समास-निर्माण; बाह्यसन्धि विशेषः न)
• असम्भाषितवेतनः = अ- (निषेध) + सम्भाषित + वेतनः (समास; बाह्यसन्धि विशेषः न)

Entities Mentioned

• worker
• employer (implied)
• court/state (implied)

Topic and Governance

Prakarana (topic)

Wages—agreed vs. unagreed wage; time-proportionality

Governance domain

Labour law; wage standards; judicial calculation rules

Vocabulary Breakdown

Technical Terms

FAQs

What is the default rule when no wage was fixed?

Payment is computed proportionate to the time devoted to the work, providing a standard to prevent non-payment or arbitrary underpayment.