Arthashastra 3.2.41: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 2, Sutra 41

Devanagari script

शुल्कं स्त्रीधनमशुल्कस्त्रीधनायास्तत्प्रमाणमाधिवेदनिकमनुरूपां च वृत्तिं दत्त्वा बह्वीरपि विन्देत ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.2.41

Transliteration

śulkaṃ strīdhanamaśulkastrīdhanāyāstatpramāṇamādhivedanikamanurūpāṃ ca vṛttiṃ dattvā bahvīrapi vindeta

Translation

เมื่อชำระศุลกะและจัดให้มีสตรีธนะ—หรือในกรณีสตรีที่ไม่มีศุลกะ/สตรีธนะ ให้จ่ายจำนวนเทียบเท่าเป็นอธิเวทนิกะ—และจัดให้มีค่าเลี้ยงดูที่เหมาะกับฐานะแล้ว เขาอาจมีภรรยาหลายคนได้ด้วย.

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Word by Word

• शुल्कम्: duty/toll (customs levy)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुल्क
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया

• स्त्रीधनम्: woman’s property (strīdhana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्रीधन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया

• अशुल्क: duty-free / exempt from duty
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- + शुल्क
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; नञ्-समास/उपसर्ग-निषेध

• स्त्रीधनायाः: of the strīdhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्रीधन
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (अर्थतः), एकवचन, षष्ठी

• तत्: that / its
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; (अग्रे ‘प्रमाणम्’ इत्यनेन सह)

• प्रमाणम्: the measure/standard (amount)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया

• आधिवेदनिकम्: as per the rules relating to pledge/mortgage and formal notice/registration
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आधिवेदनिक
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; ‘आधिवेदन’ (pledge/mortgage & notice/registration) से सम्बन्धित

• अनुरूपाम्: appropriate / proportionate
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुरूप
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• वृत्तिम्: maintenance / means of subsistence
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया

• दत्त्वा: having given
• Type: Verb (absolutive)
• Root: दा
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त), परस्मैपदी; ‘having given’

• बह्वीः: many (women)
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: बहु
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, द्वितीया

• अपि: even / also
• Type: Particle
• Root: अपि
• Form: अव्यय (अपि = even/also)

• विन्देत: may obtain / may acquire
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (विन्द्)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदी, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Entities Mentioned

• husband
• wives

More Details

FAQs

What is the governance logic behind allowing multiple wives after payments?

The state permits polygyny only when financial safeguards (property protection, compensation, and ongoing maintenance) are demonstrably met.