Kautilya's Arthashastra 2.23: Chapter 23 (Section 40): The Superintendent of Yarns

2.23.1

sūtrādhyakṣaḥ sūtravarmavastrarajjuvyavahāraṃ tajjātapuruṣaiḥ kārayet //

THE Superintendent of Weaving shall employ qualified persons to manufacture threads (sútra), coats (varma), cloths (vastra), and ropes.

2.23.2

ūrṇāvalkakārpāsatūlaśaṇakṣaumāṇi ca vidhavānyaṅgākanyāpravrajitādaṇḍapratikāriṇībhī rūpājīvāmātṛkābhir vṛddharājadāsībhir vyuparatopasthānadevadāsībhiś ca kartayet //

Widows, cripple women, girls, mendicant or ascetic women (pravrajitá), women compelled to work in default of paying fines (dandápratikáriní), mothers of prostitutes, old women-servants of the king, and prostitutes (devadási) who have ceased to attend temples on service shall be employed to cut wool, fibre, cotton, panicle (túla), hemp, and flax.

2.23.3

ślakṣṇasthūlamadhyatāṃ ca sūtrasya viditvā vetanaṃ kalpayet, bahvalpatāṃ ca //

Wages shall be fixed according as the threads spun are fine, coarse (sthúla, i.e., big) or of middle quality and in proportion to a greater or less quantity manufactured, and in consideration of the quantity of thread spun, those (who turn out a greater quantity) shall be presented with oil and dried cakes of myrobalan fruits (tailámalakódvartanaih).

2.23.4

sūtrapramāṇa jñātvā tailāmalakodvartanair etā anugṛhṇīyāt //

2.23.5

tithiṣu pratimānadānaiś ca karma kārayitavyāḥ //

They may also be made to work on holidays (tithishu) by payment of special rewards (prativápadánamánaih).

2.23.6

sūtrahrāse vetanahrāso dravyasārāt //

Wages shall be cut short, if making allowance for the quality of raw material, the quantity of the threads spun out is found to fall short.

2.23.7

kṛtakarmapramāṇakālavetanaphalaniṣpattibhiḥ kārubhiś ca karma kārayet, pratisaṃsargaṃ ca gacchet //

Weaving may also be done by those artisans who are qualified to turn out a given amount of work in a given time and for a fixed amount of wages.

The superintendent shall closely associate with the workmen.

2.23.8

kṣaumadukūlakrimitānarāṅkavakārpāsasūtravāna.karmāntāṃś ca prayuñjāno gandhamālyadānair anyaiś caupagrāhikair ārādhayet //

Those who manufacture fibrous cloths, raiments, silk-cloths, woollen cloths, and cotton fabrics shall be rewarded by presentations such as scents, garlands of flowers, or any other prizes of encouragement.

2.23.9

vastrāstaraṇaprāvaraṇavikalpān utthāpayet //

Various kinds of garments, blankets, and curtains shall be manufactured.

2.23.10

kaṅkaṭakarmāntāṃś ca tajjātakāruśilpibhiḥ kārayet //

Those who are acquainted with the work shall manufacture mail armour.

2.23.11

yāś cāniṣkāsinyaḥ proṣitā vidhavā nyaṅgāḥ kanyakā vātmānaṃ bibhṛyuḥ tāḥ svadāsībhir anusārya sa-upagrahaṃ karma kārayitavyāḥ //

Those women who do not stir out of their houses (anishkásinyah), those whose husbands are gone abroad, and those who are cripple or girls may, when obliged to work for subsistence, be provided with work (spinning out threads) in due courtesy through the medium of maid-servants (of the weaving establishment.)

2.23.12

svayam āgacchantīnāṃ vā sūtraśālāṃ pratyuṣasi bhāṇḍavetanavinimayaṃ kārayet //

Those women who can present themselves at the weaving house shall at dawn be enabled to exchange their spinnings for wages (bhándavetanavinimayam). Only so much light as is enough to examine the threads shall be kept. If the superintendent looks at the face of such women or talks about any other work, he shall be punished with the first amercement. Delay in paying the wages shall be punished with the middlemost amercement. Likewise when wages are paid for work that is not completed.

2.23.13

sūtraparīkṣārthamātraḥ pradīpaḥ //

2.23.14

striyā mukhasaṃdarśane 'nyakāryasambhāṣāyāṃ vā pūrvaḥ sāhasadaṇḍaḥ, vetanakālātipātane madhyamaḥ, akṛtakarmavetanapradāne ca //

2.23.15

gṛhītvā vetanaṃ karmākurvatyā aṅguṣṭhasaṃdaṃśaṃ dāpayet, bhakṣitāpahṛtāvaskanditānāṃ ca //

She who, having received wages, does not turn out the work shall have her thumb cut off.

Those who misappropriate, steal, or run away with, (the raw material supplied to them) shall be similarly punished.

2.23.16

vetaneṣu ca karmakarāṇām aparādhato daṇḍaḥ //

Weavers, when guilty, shall be fined out of their wages in proportion to their offences.

2.23.17

rajjuvartakair varmakāraiś ca svayaṃ saṃsṛjyeta //

The superintendent shall closely associate with those who manufacture ropes and mail armour and shall carry on the manufacture of straps (varatra) and other commodities.

2.23.18

bhāṇḍāni ca varatrādīni vartayet //

2.23.19

sūtravalkamayī rajjur varatrā vaitravaiṇavīḥ /
sāmnāhyā bandhanīyāś ca yānayugyasya karayet //E

He shall carry on the manufacture of ropes from threads and fibres and of straps from cane and bamboo bark, with which beasts for draught are trained or tethered.