Kantakashodhana Adhyaya 6 Sutra 16 - Arthashastra | Chinese | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 16

Devanagari script

कर्माभिग्रहस्तु मुषितवेश्मनः प्रवेशनिष्कसनमद्वारेण द्वारस्य संधिना बीजेन वा वेधमुत्तमागारस्य जालवातायननीप्रवेधमारोहणावतरणे च कुड्यस्य वेधमुपखननं वा गूढद्रव्यनिक्षेपणग्रहणोपायमुपदेशोपलभ्यमभ्यन्तरच्छेदोत्करपरिमर्दोपकरणमभ्यन्तरकृतं विद्यात् ॥ कZ_०४.६.१६ ॥

Transliteration

karmābhigrahas tu muṣitaveśmanaḥ praveśaniṣkasanam advāreṇa, dvārasya saṃdhinā, bījena vā vedham; uttamāgārasya jālavātāyananīpravedham; ārohaṇāvataraṇe ca kuḍyasya vedham upakhananaṃ vā; gūḍhadravyanikṣepaṇagrahaṇopāyam upadeśopalabhyam; abhyantaracchedotkaraparimardopakaraṇam abhyantarakṛtaṃ vidyāt ।

Translation

至于“以行为识别”（karmābhigraha）：在被盗的房屋中，若进出并非经由门；在门的接缝处钻孔，或借助钥匙/器具撬开；刺穿大宅的格栅/窗户/通风口；通过凿墙或挖地道而上攀下落；通过传授而学得的藏匿与取回贵重物品之法——这些迹象，连同室内发现的切割痕、堆积物、涂抹/擦蹭痕以及工具，表明是内贼所为。

Word by Word

कर्माभिग्रहःthe act of seizing/committing the deed (i.e., the internal burglary operation)

तुbut, indeed

मुषित-वेश्मनःof a house that has been robbed

प्रवेशनिष्कसनम्entry and exit

अद्वारेणthrough a non-door (i.e., not by the door)

द्वारस्यof the door

संधिनाby the joint/seam (of the door)

बीजेनby a ‘seed’/peg (a tool/implement)

वाor

वेधम्a boring/perforation

उत्तमागारस्यof the main/upper (principal) house

जालवातायननीप्रवेधम्boring through the lattice-window’s recess/opening

आरोहण-अवतरणेin climbing up and climbing down

चand

कुड्यस्यof the wall

वेधम्boring (a hole)

उपखननम्undermining/digging under

वाor

गूढद्रव्यनिक्षेपणग्रहणोपायम्the method for depositing and taking hidden valuables

उपदेश-उपलभ्यम्ascertainable by instruction or by discovery (evidence)

अभ्यन्तरच्छेदोत्करपरिमर्दोपकरणम्tools for internal cutting, digging/raising earth, and rubbing/smoothing

अभ्यन्तरकृतम्done from within / internally committed

विद्यात्one should know/recognize

Entities Mentioned

household

burglar(s)

insider collaborator

FAQs

What is the administrative innovation in this sutra?

A proto-forensic checklist: infer culpability from entry/exit methods, tool marks, and internal traces to distinguish insider vs outsider theft.

Why emphasize ‘methods learned by instruction’?

It flags organized/experienced thieves and insider collusion—knowledge of hiding places and retrieval techniques implies prior access or coaching.