Arthashastra · Chapter 4
Book 1, Chapter 4: The End of Sciences
Translated by R. Shamasastry (1915, public domain), 1915. Public domain.
The Sanskrit text and the translation are aligned at chapter level, not sentence by sentence. Sutra numbers follow the critical edition (book.chapter.sutra).
- 1.4.1
कृषि-पाशुपाल्ये वणिज्या च वार्ता । धान्य-पशु-हिरण्य-कुप्य-विष्टि-प्रदानादौपकारिकी
- 1.4.2
तया स्व-पक्षं पर-पक्षं च वशी-करोति कोश-दण्डाभ्यां
- 1.4.3
आन्वीक्षिकी त्रयी वार्त्तानां योग-क्षेम-साधनो दण्डः । तस्य नीतिर्दण्ड नीतिः । अलब्ध-लाभ-अर्था लब्ध-परिरक्षणी रक्षित-विवर्धनी वृद्धस्य तीर्थे प्रतिपादनी च
- 1.4.4
तस्यां आयत्ता लोक-यात्रा
- 1.4.5
"तस्माल्लोक-यात्रा-अर्थी नित्यं उद्यत-दण्डः स्यात्
- 1.4.6
न ह्येवंविधं वश-उपनयनं अस्ति भूतानां यथा दण्डः इत्याचार्याः
- 1.4.7
नैति कौटिल्यः
- 1.4.8
तीक्ष्ण-दण्डो हि भूतानां उद्वेजनीयो भवति
- 1.4.9
मृदु-दण्डः परिभूयते
- 1.4.10
यथा-अर्ह-दण्डः पूज्यते
- 1.4.11
सुविज्ञात-प्रणीतो हि दण्डः प्रजा धर्म-अर्थ-कामैर्योजयति
- 1.4.12
दुष्प्रणीतः काम-क्रोधाभ्यां अवज्ञानाद्वा वानप्रस्थ-परिव्राजकानपि कोपयति । किं-अङ्ग पुनर्गृहस्थान्
- 1.4.13
अप्रणीतस्तु मात्स्य-न्यायं उद्भावयति
- 1.4.14
बलीयानबलं हि ग्रसते दण्ड-धर-अभावे
- 1.4.15
स तेन गुप्तः प्रभवति इति
- 1.4.16
चतुर्-वर्ण-आश्रमो लोको राज्ञा दण्डेन पालितः स्वधर्म-कर्म-अभिरतो वर्तते स्वेषु वर्त्मसु
Varta and Dandaniti.
AGRICULTURE, cattle-breeding and trade constitute Varta. It is most useful in that it brings in grains, cattle, gold, forest produce (kupya), and free labour (vishti). It is by means of the treasury and the army obtained solely through Varta that the king can hold under his control both his and his enemy's party.
That sceptre on which the well-being and progress of the sciences of Anvikshaki, the triple Vedas, and Varta depend is known as Danda (punishment). That which treats of Danda is the law of punishment or science of government (dandaniti).
It is a means to make acquisitions, to keep them secure, to improve them, and to distribute among the deserved the profits of. improvement. It is on this science of government that the course of the progress of the world depends.
"Hence," says my teacher, "whoever is desirous of the progress of the world shall ever hold the sceptre raised (udyatadanda). Never can there be a better instrument than the sceptre to bring people under control."
"No," says Kautilya; for whoever imposes severe punishment becomes repulsive to the people; while he who awards mild punishment becomes contemptible. But whoever imposes
punishment as deserved becomes respectable. For punishment (danda) when awarded with due consideration, makes the people devoted to righteousness and to works productive of wealth and enjoyment; while punishment, when ill-awarded under the influence of greed and anger or owing to ignorance, excites fury even among hermits and ascetics dwelling in forests, not to speak of householders.
But when the law of punishment is kept in abeyance, it gives rise to such disorder as is implied in the proverb of fishes (matsyanyayamudbhavayati); for in the absence of a magistrate (dandadharabhave), the strong will swallow the weak; but under his protection, the weak resist the strong.
This people (/oka) consisting of four castes and four orders of religious life, when governed by the king with his sceptre, will keep to their respective paths, ever devotedly adhering to their respective duties and occupations.