Arthashastra — Kantakashodhana, Sutra 17

Devanagari script

अन्यशोणितोपधाने द्विशतो दण्डः मिथ्याभिशंसिनश्च पुंसः ॥ कZ_०४.१२.१७ ॥

Transliteration

anyaśoṇitopadhāne dviśato daṇḍaḥ mithyābhiśaṃsinaś ca puṃsaḥ

Translation

Para sa pagtatanim ng “dugo ng iba” bilang ebidensiya (anya-śoṇita-upadhāna), ang multa ay dalawang daang paṇa; gayundin para sa lalaking gumagawa ng maling paratang.

Word by Word

• अन्य-शोणित-उपधाने: in the case of planting/introducing another person’s blood (as evidence)
• Type: Noun (locative phrase)
• Root: उपधा/उपधान (न.)
• Form: सप्तमी एकवचनम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; अधिकरणे (locative of circumstance): ‘in/when there is a planting/placing of other blood’

• द्विशतः: two hundred (as the amount)
• Type: Numeral (adjectival)
• Root: द्वि + शत (संख्या)
• Form: प्रथमा एकवचनम् (पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-रूपेण दण्डशब्दस्य विशेषणम्); ‘two hundred’ qualifying दण्डः

• दण्डः: a fine/penalty
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (पुं.)
• Form: प्रथमा एकवचनम्; पुंलिङ्ग; विधेय (predicate): ‘the fine/penalty is …’

• मिथ्या-अभिशंसिनः: of a false accuser
• Type: Noun/Agentive (participle-derived)
• Root: अभि-शंस् (धातु) → अभिशंसिन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचनम्; पुंलिङ्ग; ‘of the false-accuser/false-informer’ (genitive dependent on दण्डः understood: ‘fine (is) of …’)

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय; coordinates an additional liable party/condition

• पुंसः: of the man
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस्/पुम्स् (पुं.)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचनम्; पुंलिङ्ग; ‘of the man’ (genitive; specifies the person concerned)

Entities Mentioned

• false accuser (male)
• court/administration
• accused party (implied)

More Details

FAQs

What is being targeted by the term anyaśoṇitopadhāna?

A form of evidentiary fraud—planting someone else’s blood to simulate injury/defloration or to frame another.

What is the administrative purpose of penalizing false accusation here?

To protect judicial throughput and legitimacy by discouraging malicious prosecution and fabricated claims.