Kautilya's Arthashastra 2.27: Chapter 27 (Section 44): The Superintendent of Courtesans

2.27.1

gaṇikādhyakṣo gaṇikānvayām agaṇikānvayāṃ vā rūpayauvanaśilpasampannāṃ sahasreṇa gaṇikāṃ kārayet, kuṭumbārdhena pratigaṇikām //

THE Superintendent of Prostitutes shall employ (at the king's court) on a salary of 1,000 panas (per annum) a prostitute (ganiká), whether born or not born of a prostitute's family, and noted for her beauty, youth, and accomplishments.

A rival prostitute (pratiganiká) on half the above salary (kutumbárdhéna) shall also be appointed.

2.27.2

niṣpatitāpretayor duhitā bhaginī vā kuṭumbaṃ bhareta, mātā vā pratigaṇikāṃ sthāpayet //

Whenever such a prostitute goes abroad or dies, her daughter or sister shall act for her and receive her property and salary. Or her mother may substitute another prostitute. In the absence of any of these, the king himself shall take the property.

2.27.3

tāsām abhāve rājā haret //

2.27.4

saubhāgyālaṃkāravṛddhyā sahasreṇa vāraṃ kaniṣṭhaṃ madhyamam uttamaṃ vāropayet chatrabhṛṅgāravyajanaśibikāpīṭhikāratheṣu ca viśeṣārtham //

With a view to add to the splendour of prostitutes holding the royal umbrella, golden pitcher, and fan, and attending upon the king seated on his royal litter, throne, or chariot, prostitutes shall be classified as of first, middle and highest rank according to their beauty and splendid jewellery; likewise their salary shall be fixed by thousands.

2.27.5

saubhāgyabhaṅge mātṛkāṃ kuryāt //

She who has lost her beauty shall be appointed as a nurse (mátriká).

2.27.6

niṣkrayaś caturviṃśatisāhasro gaṇikāyāḥ, dvādaśasāhasro gaṇikāputrasya //

A prostitute shall pay 24,000 panas as ransom to regain her liberty; and a prostitute's son 12,000 panas.

2.27.7

aṣṭavarṣāt prabhṛti rājñaḥ kuśīlavakarma kuryāt //

From the age of eight years, a prostitute shall hold musical performance before the king.

2.27.8

gaṇikādāsī bhagnabhogā koṣṭhāgāre mahānase vā karma kuryāt //

Those prostitutes, female slaves, and old women who are incapable of rendering any service in the form of enjoyment (bhagnabhogáh) shall work in the storehouse or kitchen of the king.

2.27.9

aviśantī sapādapaṇam avaruddhā māsavetanaṃ dadyāt //

A prostitute who, putting herself under the protection of a private person, ceases to attend the king's court shall pay a pana-and-a-quarter per mensem (to the Government).

2.27.10

bhogaṃ dāyamāyaṃ vyayam āyatiṃ ca gaṇikāyā nibandhayet, ativyayakarma ca vārayet //

The superintendent shall determine the earnings, inheritance, income (áya), expenditure, and future earnings (áyati) of every prostitute.

He shall also check their extravagant expenditure.

2.27.11

mātṛhastād anyatra abharaṇanyāse sapādacatuṣpaṇo daṇḍaḥ //

When a prostitute puts her jewellery in the hands of any person but her mother, she shall be fined 4¼ panas.

2.27.12

svāpateyaṃ vikrayam ādhānaṃ vā nayantyāḥ sapādapañcāśatpaṇaḥ paṇo 'rdhapaṇacchedane //

If she sells or mortgages her property (svapateyam), she shall be fined 50¼ panas.

A prostitute shall be fined 24 panas for defamation; twice as much for causing hurt; and 50¼ panas as well as 1½ panas for cutting off the ear (of any person).

2.27.13

akāmāyāḥ kumāryā vā sāhase uttamo daṇḍaḥ, sakāmāyāḥ pūrvaḥ sāhasadaṇḍaḥ //

When a man has connection with a prostitute against her will or with a prostitute girl (kumári), he shall be punished with the highest amercement. But when he has connection with a willing prostitute, (under age), he shall be punished with the first amercement.

2.27.14

gaṇikām akāmāṃ rundhato niṣpātayato vā vraṇavidāraṇena vā rūpaṃupaghnataḥ sahasraṃ daṇḍaḥ //

When a man keeps under confinement, or abducts, a prostitute against her will, or disfigures her by causing hurt, he shall be fined 1,000 panas or more rising up to twice the amount of her ransom (nishkraya) according to the circumstances of the crime and the position and the status of the prostitute (sthánaviseshena).

2.27.15

sthānviśeṣeṇa vā daṇḍavṛddhiḥ āniṣkrayadviguṇāt //

2.27.16

prāptādhikāraṃ gaṇikāṃ ghatayato niṣkrayatriguṇo daṇḍaḥ //

When a man causes hurt to a prostitute appointed at the court (praptádhikáram), he shall be fined thrice the amount of her ransom.

2.27.17

mātṛkāduhitṛkārūpadāsīnāṃ ghāte uttamaḥ sāhasadaṇḍaḥ //

When a man causes hurt to a prostitute's mother, to her young daughter, or to a rúpadási, he shall be punished with the highest amercement.

2.27.18

sarvatra prathame 'parādhe prathamaḥ, dvitīye dviguṇaḥ, tṛtīye triguṇaḥ, caturthe yathākāmī syāt //

In all cases of offences, punishment for offences committed for the first time shall be the first amercement; twice as much for offences committed for a second time; thrice as much for the third time; and for offences committed for the fourth time, the king may impose any punishment he likes.

2.27.19

rājājñayā puruṣam anabhigacchantī gaṇikā śiphāsahasraṃ labheeta, pañcasahasraṃ vā daṇḍaḥ //

When a prostitute does not yield her person to any one under the orders of the king, she shall receive 1000 lashes with a whip or pay a fine of 5,000 panas.

2.27.20

bhogaṃ gṛhītvā dviṣatyā bhogadviguṇo daṇḍaḥ //

When having received the requisite amount of fees, a prostitute dislikes to yield her person, she shall be fined twice the amount of the fees.

2.27.21

vasatibhogāpahāre bhogam aṣṭaguṇaṃ dadyād anyatra vyādhipuruṣadoṣebhyaḥ //

When, in her own house, a prostitute deprives her paramour of his enjoyment, she shall be fined eight times the amount of the fees unless the paramour happens to be unassociable on account of disease and personal defects.

2.27.22

puruṣaṃ ghnatyāś citāpratāpe 'psu praveśanaṃ vā //

When a prostitute murders her paramour, she shall be burnt alive or thrown into water.

2.27.23

gaṇikābharaṇam arthaṃ bhogaṃ vāpaharato 'ṣṭaguṇo daṇḍaḥ //

When a paramour steals the jewellery or money of, or deceives to pay the fees due to, a prostitute, he shall be fined eight times that amount.

2.27.24

gaṇikā bhogam āyatiṃ puruṣaṃ ca nivedayet //

Every prostitute shall supply information to the superintendent as to the amount of her daily fees (bhoga), her future income (áyati), and the paramour (under her influence).

2.27.25

etena naṭanartakagāyanavādakavāgjīvanakuśīlavaplavaka.saubhikacāraṇānāṃ strīvyavahāriṇāṃ striyo gūḍhājīvāś ca vyākhyātāḥ //

The same rules shall apply to an actor, dancer, singer, player on musical instruments, a buffoon (vágjivana), a mimic player (kusílava), rope-dancer (plavaka), a juggler (saubhika), a wandering bard or herald (chárana), pimps, and unchaste women.

2.27.26

teṣāṃ tūryam āgantukaṃ pañcapaṇaṃ prekṣāvetanaṃ dadyāt //

When persons of the above description come from foreign countries to hold their performances, they shall pay 5 panas as license fee (prekshávetana).

2.27.27

rūpājīvā bhogadvayaguṇaṃ māsaṃ dadyuḥ //

Every prostitute (rúpájivá) shall pay every month twice the amount of a day's earning (bhogadvigunam) to the Government.

2.27.28

gītavādyapāṭhyanṛtyanāṭyākṣaracitravīṇā.veṇumṛdaṅgaparacittajñānagandhamālyasamyūhana.saṃvādanasaṃvāhanavaiśikakalājñānāni gaṇikā dāsī raṅgopajīvinīś ca grāhayato rājamaṇḍalād ājīvaṃ kuryāt //

Those who teach prostitutes, female slaves, and actresses, arts such as singing, playing on musical instruments, reading, dancing, acting, writing, painting, playing on the instruments like vina, pipe, and drum, reading the thoughts of others, manufacture of scents and garlands, shampooing, and the art of attracting and captivating the mind of others shall be endowed with maintenance from the State.

2.27.29

gaṇikāputrān raṅgopajīvināṃ ca mukhyān niṣpādayeyuḥ, sarvatālāvacarāṇāṃ ca //

They (the teachers) shall train the sons of prostitutes to be chief actors (rangopajívi) on the stage.

2.27.30

saṃjñābhāṣāntarajñāś ca striyas teṣām anātmasu /
cāraghātapramādārthaṃ prayojyā bandhuvāhanāḥ //E

The wives of actors and others of similar profession who have been taught various languages and the use of signals (sanja) shall, along with their relatives, be made use of in detecting the wicked and murdering or deluding foreign spies.