Kautilya's Arthashastra 4.11.26

4.11.26

ete śāstreṣv anugatāḥ kleśadaṇḍā mahātmanām /
akliṣṭānāṃ tu pāpānāṃ dharmyaḥ śuddhavadhaḥ smṛtaḥ //E

Such painful punishments (klesadanda) as the above have been laid down in the Śástras of great sages; but it has been declared as just to put to simple death those offenders who have not been cruel.