Arthashastra 3.13.20 - Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 13, Sutra 20

Kautilya

Arthashastra 3.13.20: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 13, Sutra 20

Devanagari script

गृहेजातदायागतलब्धक्रीतानामन्यतमं दासमूनाष्टवर्षं विबन्धुमकामं नीचे कर्मणि विदेशे दासीं वा सगर्भामप्रतिविहितगर्भभर्मण्यां विक्रयाधानं नयतः पूर्वः साहसदण्डः क्रेतृश्रोतृऋणां च ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.13.20

Transliteration

gṛhejātadāyāgatalabdhakrītānām anyatamaṃ dāsam ūnāṣṭavarṣaṃ vibandhum akāmaṃ nīce karmaṇi videśe dāsīṃ vā sagarbhām aprativihitagarbhabharmaṇyāṃ vikrayādhānaṃ nayataḥ pūrvaḥ sāhasadaṇḍaḥ kretṛśrotṛṛṇāṃ ca

Translation

گھر میں پیدا، وراثت میں ملا، حاصل شدہ یا خریدا ہوا—ان تسلیم شدہ اقسام میں سے کسی بھی قسم کے داس کو، اگر وہ آٹھ برس سے کم ہو، بے سہارا (بلا بندھو) ہو، ناپسندیدہ/ناخوش ہو، ذلیل کام پر لگایا جائے، یا بیرونِ ملک لے جایا جائے—اس کی بیع یا رہن (آدھان) کرنے والے پر پہلا (کم ترین) ساہس-جرمانہ ہوگا؛ اور خریدار، شروتṛ (دلال/گواہانہ واسطہ) اور قرض دینے والا بھی ذمہ دار ہوں گے۔ اسی طرح، حمل کی کفالت/نگہداشت کی کوئی ضمانت کیے بغیر حاملہ داسی کی بیع/رہن پر بھی یہی سزا ہوگی۔

Word by Word

गृहेजातborn in the house (home-born)

दायागतobtained by inheritance

लब्धobtained

क्रीतानाम्of those purchased

अन्यतमम्any one (of these)

दासम्a slave

ऊनless than

अष्टवर्षम्eight years (of age)

विबन्धुम्without relatives/kin

अकामम्unwilling / without consent

नीचेin low/menial

कर्मणिwork/occupation

विदेशेin a foreign place/abroad

दासीम्a female slave

वाor

सगर्भाम्pregnant

अप्रतिविहितnot prohibited / not barred

गर्भभर्मण्याम्in the matter of pregnancy-maintenance/charge

विक्रयाधानम्sale/placing for sale

नयतःof the one who sells/transfers (who carries out the sale)

पूर्वःthe first (grade)

साहसदण्डःthe sāhasa fine (first grade)

क्रेतृof the buyer

श्रोतृof the witness/hearer

ऋणाम्of debts/liabilities

चand

Entities Mentioned

seller/pledger

buyer (kretṛ)

broker/witness/intermediary (śrotṛ)

creditor (ṛṇin/ṛṇa party)

child dāsa

pregnant dāsī

state judiciary

FAQs

What is the core administrative intent of 3.13.20?

To block exploitative markets by banning or penalizing transactions involving vulnerable bonded persons and by imposing joint liability on all counterparties.

Why include buyer, intermediary, and creditor as liable?

To deter collusion and reduce enforcement evasion by distributing legal risk across the entire transaction chain.

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