Kautilya's Arthashastra 4.4: Chapter 4 (Section 79): Guarding against Persons with Secret Income

4.4.1

samāhartṛpraṇidhau janapadarakṣaṇam uktam //

MEASURES necessary for the protection of countries have been briefly dealt with in connection with the description of the duties of the Collector-general.

4.4.2

tasya kaṇṭakaśodhanaṃ vakṣyāmaḥ //

We are now going to treat of in detail such measures as can remove the disturbing elements of peace.

4.4.3

samāhartā janapade siddhatāpasapravrajitacakracaracāraṇakuhakapracchandaka.kārtāntikanaimittikamauhūrtikacikitsakonmattamūkabadhirajaḍa.andhavaidehakakāruśilpikuśīlavaveśaśauṇḍikāpūpika.pākvamāṃsikaudanikavyañjanān praṇidadhyāt //

The Collector-general shall employ spies disguised as persons endowed with supernatural power, persons engaged in penance, ascetics, world trotters (chakra-chara), bards, buffoons, mystics (prachchhandaka), astrologers, prophets foretelling the future, persons capable of reading good or bad time, physicians, lunatics, the dumb, the deaf, idiots, the blind, traders, painters, carpenters, musicians, dancers, vintners, and manufacturers of cakes, flesh and cooked rice, and send them abroad into the country for espionage.

4.4.4

te grāmāṇām adhyakṣāṇāṃ ca śaucāśaucaṃ vidyuḥ //

The spies shall ascertain the fair or foul dealings of villagers, or of the Superintendents of villages and report the same.

4.4.5

yaṃ cātra gūḍhājīvinaṃ śaṅketa taṃ sattriṇāpasarpayet //

If any person is found to be of foul life (gúdhajívi), a spy who is acquainted with similar avocation shall be let loose upon him.

4.4.6

dharmasthaṃ viśvāsopagataṃ sattrī brūyāt - "asau me bandhur abhiyuktaḥ, tasyāyam anarthaḥ pratikriyatām, ayaṃ cārthaḥ pratigṛhyatām" iti //

On acquiring friendship with the suspected person who may be either a judge or a commissioner, the spy may request him that the misfortune in which a friend of the spy is involved may be warded off and that a certain amount of money may be accepted. If the judge accedes to the request, he shall be proclaimed as the receiver of bribes and banished. The same rule shall also apply to commissioners.

4.4.7

sa cet tathā kuryād upadāgrāhaka iti pravāsyeta //

4.4.8

tena pradeṣṭāro vyākhyātāḥ //

4.4.9

grāmakūṭam adhyakṣaṃ vā sattrī brūyāt - "asau jālmaḥ prabhūtadravyaḥ, tasyāyam anarthaḥ, tenainam āhārayasva" iti //

A spy may tell the congregation of villages (grámakútam) or its superintendent that a wealthy man of wicked character is involved in some trouble and that this opportunity may be availed of to squeeze money from him. If either the one or the other complies with the spy, banishment shall be ordered under the proclamation of ‘extortion.’

4.4.10

sa cet tathā kuryād utkocaka iti pravāsyeta //

4.4.11

kṛtakābhiyukto vā kūṭasākṣiṇo 'bhijñātānarthavaipulyenārabheta //

Under the pretence of having been charged with criminal offence, a spy may, with promise of large sums money, begin to deal with false witnesses. If they agree with him, they shall be proclaimed as false witnesses and banished.

4.4.12

te cet tathā kuryuḥ kūṭasākṣiṇa iti pravāsyeran //

4.4.13

tena kūṭaśrāvaṇakārakā vyākhyātāḥ //

Manufacturers of counterfeit coins shall also be treated similarly.

4.4.14

yaṃ vā mantrayogamūlakarmabhiḥ śmāśānikair vā saṃvadanakarakaṃ manyeta taṃ sattrī brūyāt - "amuṣya bhāryāṃ snuṣāṃ duhitaraṃ vā kāmaye, sā māṃ pratikāmayatām, ayaṃ cārthaḥ pratigṛhyatām" iti //

Whoever is believed to secure for others the love of women by means of magical charms, drugs or ceremonials performed on cremation grounds may be approached by a spy with the request that the wife, daughter, or daughter- in-law of some one, whom the spy pretends to love may be made to return the love and that a certain amount of money may be accepted. If he consents to it, he shall be proclaimed as one engaged in witchcraft (samvadanakáraka) and banished.

4.4.15

sa cet tathā kuryāt saṃvadanakāraka iti pravāsyeta //

4.4.16

tena kṛtyābhicāraśīlau vyākhyātau //

Similar steps may be taken against persons engaged in such witchcraft as is hurtful to others.

4.4.17

yaṃ vā rasasya kartāraṃ kretāraṃ vikretāraṃ bhaiṣajyāhāravyavahāriṇaṃ vā rasadaṃ manyeta taṃ sattrī brūyāt - "asau me śatruḥ, tasyopaghātaḥ kriyatām, ayaṃ cārthaḥ pratigṛhyatām" iti //

Whoever is suspected of administering poison (rasa = mercury) to others by reason of his talking of it or selling or purchasing mercury, or using it in preparing medicines, may be approached with the tale that a certain enemy of the spy may be killed and that a certain amount of money may be received as reward. If he does so, he shall be proclaimed as a poisoner (rasada), and banished.

4.4.18

sa cet tathā kuryād rasada iti pravāsyeta //

4.4.19

tena madanayogavyavahārī vyākhyātaḥ //

Similar steps may be taken against those who deal with medicines prepared from madana plant.

4.4.20

yaṃ vā nānālohakṣārāṇām aṅgārabhasmāsaṃdaṃśamuṣṭikādhikaraṇībimbaṭaṅkamūṣāṇām abhīkṣṇakretāraṃ maṣībhasmadhūmadigdhahastavastraliṅgaṃ karmāropakaraṇasaṃsargaṃ kūṭarūpakārakaṃ manyeta taṃ sattrī śiṣyatvena saṃvyavahāreṇa cānupraviśya prajñāpayet //

Whoever is suspected of manufacturing counterfeit coins in that he often purchases various kinds of metals, alkalis, charcoal, bellows, pincers, crucibles, stove, and hammers, has his hands and cloths dirty with ashes and smoke, or possesses such other accessory instruments as are necessary for this illegal manufacture, may be requested by a spy to take the latter as an apprentice, and being gradually betrayed by the spy, such person, on proclamation of his guilt as the manufacturer of false coins, shall be banished.

4.4.21

prajñātaḥ kūṭarūpakāraka iti pravāsyeta //

4.4.22

tena rāgasyāpahartā kūṭasuvarṇavyavahārī ca vyākhyātaḥ //

Similar steps may be taken against those who lower the quality of gold by mixing it with an alloy, or deal with counterfeit gold (suvarna = coin?)

4.4.23

ārabdhāras tu hiṃsāyāṃ gūḍhājīvās trayodaśa /
pravāsyā niṣkrayārthaṃ vā dadyur doṣaviśeṣataḥ //E

There are thirteen kinds of criminals who, secretly attempting to live by foul means, destroy the peace of the country. They shall either be banished or made to pay an adequate compensation according as their guilt is light or serious.