Kautilya's Arthashastra 4.10: Chapter 10 (Section 85): Redemption from Corporal Punishment

4.10.1

tīrthaghātagranthibhedordhvakarāṇāṃ prathame 'parādhe saṃdeśacchedanaṃ catuṣpañcāśatpaṇo vā daṇḍaḥ, dvitīye chedanaṃ paṇasya śatyo vā daṇḍaḥ, tṛtīye dakṣiṇahastavadhaś catuḥśato vā daṇḍaḥ, caturthe yathākāmī vadhaḥ //

WHEN Government servants (arthachara) commit for the first time such offences as violation of sacred institutions (tírthágháta), or pickpocketing (granthibheda), they shall have their index finger cut off or shall pay a fine of 54 panas; when for a second time they commit the same, they shall have their (......) cut off or pay a fine of 100 panas; when for a third time, they shall have their right hand cut off or pay a fine of 400 panas; and when for a fourth time, they shall in any way be put to death.

4.10.2

pañcaviṃśatipaṇāvareṣu kukkuṭanakulamārjāraśvasūkarasteyeṣu hiṃsāyāṃ vā catuṣpañcāśatpaṇo daṇḍaḥ, nāsāgracchedanaṃ vā caṇḍālāraṇyacarāṇām ardhadaṇḍāḥ //

When a person steals or destroys cocks, mangoose, cats, dogs or pigs, of less than 54 panas in value, he shall have the edge of his nose cut off or pay a fine of 54 panas. If these animals belong to either Chandalas or wild tribes half of the above fine shall be imposed.

4.10.3

pāśajālakūṭāvapāteṣu baddhānāṃ mṛgapaśupakṣivyālamatsyānām ādāne tac ca tāvac ca daṇḍaḥ //

When any person steals wild beasts, cattle, birds, elephants, tigers, fish, or any other animals confined in traps, fences, or pits, he shall not only pay a fine equal to the value of the stolen animals, but also restore the animals.

4.10.4

mṛgadravyavanān mṛgadravyāpahāre śātyo daṇḍaḥ //

For stealing beasts or raw materials from forests, a fine of 100 panas shall be imposed. For stealing or destroying dolls, beasts, or birds from infirmaries, twice the above fine shall be levied.

4.10.5

biṃbavihāramṛgapakṣisteye hiṃsāyāṃ vā dviguṇo daṇḍaḥ //

4.10.6

kāruśilpikuśīlavatapasvināṃ kṣudrakadravyāpahāre śatyo daṇḍaḥ, sthūlakadravyāpahāre dviśataḥ, kṛṣidravyāpahāre ca //

When a person steals articles of small value, belonging to artisans, musicians, or ascetics he shall pay a fine of 100 panas; and when he steals big articles or any agricultural implements, he shall pay double the above fine.

4.10.7

durgam akṛtapraveśasya praviśataḥ prākāracchidrād vā nikṣepaṃ gṛhītvāpasarataḥ kāṇḍarāvadho, dviśāto vā daṇḍaḥ //

When any person enters into a fort without permission, or carries off treasure through a hole or passage in the wall of the fort, he shall either be beheaded or be made to pay a fine of 200 panas.

4.10.8

cakrayuktaṃ nāvaṃ kṣudrapaśuṃ vāpaharata ekapādavadhaḥ, triśato vā daṇḍaḥ //

When a person steals a cart, a boat or minor quadruped, he shall have one of his legs cut off or pay a fine of 300 panas.

4.10.9

kūṭakākaṇyakṣārālāśalākāhastaviṣamakāriṇa ekahastavadhaḥ, catuḥśato vā daṇḍaḥ //

When a gambler substitutes false dice to be hired for a kákaní or any other accessory things of dice-play, or commits fraud by tricks of hand, he shall have his hand cut off or pay a fine of 400 panas.

4.10.10

stenapāradārikayoḥ sācivyakarmaṇi striyāḥ saṃgṛhītāyāś ca karṇanāsācchedanam, pañcaśato vā daṇḍaḥ, puṃṣo dviguṇaḥ //

When any person abets a thief or an adulterer, he as well as the woman who voluntarily yields herself for adultery shall have their ears and nose cut off or pay each a fine of 500 panas, while the thief or the adulterer shall pay double the above fine.

4.10.11

mahāpaśum ekaṃ dāsaṃ dāsīṃ vāpaharataḥ pretabhāṇḍaṃ vā vikrīṇānasya dvipādavadhaḥ, ṣaṭchato vā daṇḍaḥ //

When any person steals a big animal, abducts a male or female slave, or sells the articles belonging to a dead body (pretabhándam), he shall have both of his legs cut off or pay a fine of 600 panas.

4.10.12

varṇottamānāṃ gurūṇāṃ ca hastapādalaṅghane rājayānavāhanādyārohaṇe caikahastapādavadhaḥ, saptaśato vā daṇḍaḥ //

When a man contemptuously rushes against the hands or legs of any person of a higher caste, or of a teacher, or mounts the horse, elephant, coach, etc., of the king, he shall have one of his legs and one of his hands cut off or pay a fine of 700 panas.

4.10.13

śūdrasya brāhmaṇavādino devadravyam avastṛṇato rājadviṣṭam ādiśato dvinetrabhedinaś ca yogāñjanenāndhatvam, aṣṭaśato vā daṇḍaḥ //

When a Súdra calls himself a Bráhman, or when any person steals the property of gods, conspires against the king, or destroys both the eyes of another, he shall either have his eyes destroyed by the application of poisonous ointment, or pay a fine of 800 panas.

4.10.14

coraṃ pāradārikaṃ vā mokṣayato rājaśāsanam ūnam atiriktaṃ vā likhataḥ kanyāṃ dāsīṃ vā sa-hiraṇyam aparahataḥ kūṭavyavahāriṇo vimāṃsavikrayiṇaś ca vāmahastadvipādavadho, navaśato vā daṇḍaḥ //

When a person causes a thief or an adulterer to be let off or adds or omits anything while writing down the king's order, abducts a girl or a slave possessed of gold, carries off any deceitful transaction, or sells rotten flesh, he shall either have his two legs and one hand cut off or pay a fine of 900 panas.

4.10.15

mānuṣamāṃsavikraye vadhaḥ //

Any person who sells human flesh shall be condemned to death.

4.10.16

devapaśupratimāmanuṣyakṣetragṛhahiraṇyasuvarṇa.ratnasasyāpahāriṇa uttamo daṇḍaḥ, śuddhavadho vā //

When a person steals images of gods or of animals, abducts men, or takes possession of fields, houses, gold, gold-coins, precious stones, or crops of others, he shall either be beheaded or compelled to pay the highest amercement.

4.10.17

puruṣaṃ cāparādhaṃ ca kāraṇaṃ gurulāghavam /
anubandhaṃ tadātvaṃ ca deśakālau samīkṣya ca //

Taking into consideration the (social position of) persons, the nature of the offence, the cause, whether grave or slight (that led to the perpetration of the offence), the antecedent and present circumstances, the time, and the place;

4.10.18

uttamāvaramadhyatvaṃ pradeṣṭā daṇḍakarmaṇi /
rājñaś ca prakṛtīnāṃ ca kalpayed antarā sthitaḥ //E

and without failing to notice equitable distinctions among offenders, whether belonging to royal family or to the common people, shall the commissioner determine the propriety of imposing the first, middlemost, or highest amercements.