Arthashastra 3.18.2 - Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 18, Sutra 2

Kautilya

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Arthashastra 3.18.2: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 18, Sutra 2

Devanagari script

शरीरप्रकृतिश्रुतवृत्तिजनपदानां शरीरोपवादे काणखञ्जादिभिः सत्ये त्रिपणो दण्डः मिथ्योपवादे षट्पणो दण्डः ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.18.2

Transliteration

śarīraprakṛtiśrutavṛttijanapadānāṃ śarīropavāde kāṇakhañjādibhiḥ satye tripaṇo daṇḍaḥ mithyopavāde ṣaṭpaṇo daṇḍaḥ

Translation

వ్యక్తి శరీరం, ప్రకృతి, శ్రుత (విద్య/ఖ్యాతి), వృత్తి (జీవిక/ఆచరణ) లేదా జనపదం గురించి—‘కన్ను లేని వాడు’, ‘కుంటివాడు’ మొదలైన మాటలతో—శరీరాపవాదం చేస్తే, ఆరోపణ నిజమైతే మూడు పణాల దండం; అబద్ధమైతే ఆరు పణాల దండం।

Word by Word

शरीरbody

प्रकृतिconstitution; natural disposition

श्रुतlearning; what is heard/learnt

वृत्तिoccupation; livelihood

जनपदcountry/territory (district)

शरीर-प्रकृति-श्रुत-वृत्ति-जनपदानाम्of (one’s) body, constitution, learning, occupation, and country

शरीरin/with regard to the body

उपवादेin the case of defamation/abusive allegation

शरीरोपवादेin defamation concerning the body

काण(by words like) ‘one-eyed’

खञ्ज‘lame’

आदिभिःand the like (etc.)

काण-खञ्ज-आदिभिःby (terms) like ‘one-eyed’, ‘lame’, etc.

सत्येwhen true (i.e., if the allegation is true)

त्रिपणःa fine of three paṇas

दण्डःpenalty; fine

मिथ्याfalsely; untruthfully

उपवादेin the case of defamation

मिथ्योपवादेin false defamation

षट्पणःa fine of six paṇas

दण्डःpenalty; fine

Entities Mentioned

accuser/slanderer

target/victim

court

FAQs

What principle of punishment is applied here?

Proportionality with an evidentiary dimension: false allegations are punished more severely than true (though still abusive) statements.

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