Kautilya's Arthashastra 4.9: Chapter 9 (Section 84): Keeping a Watch over Departments

4.9.1

samāhartṛpradeṣṭāraḥ pūrvam adhyakṣāṇām adhyakṣapuruṣāṇāṃ ca niyamanaṃ kuryuḥ //

COMMISSIONERS appointed by the Collector-general shall first check (the proceedings of) Superintendents and their subordinates.

4.9.2

khanisārakarmāntebhyaḥ sāraṃ ratnaṃ vāpaharataḥ śuddhavadhaḥ //

Those who seize valuable articles or precious stones from either mines or any great manufactories shall be beheaded. Those who seize ordinary articles or necessaries of life from manufactories of articles of small value shall be punished with the first amercement. Those who seize from manufactories or from the king's granary articles of 1/16 to 1/4 a pana in value shall be fined 12 panas; articles of 1/4 to 1/2 a pana in value, 24 panas; articles 1/2 to 3/4 pana in value, 36 panas; and articles of 3/4 to 1 pana in value, 48 panas.

4.9.3

phalgudravyakarmāntebhyaḥ phalgu dravyam upaskaraṃ vā pūrvaḥ sāhasadaṇḍaḥ //

4.9.4

paṇyabhūmibhyo vā rājapaṇyaṃ māṣamūlyād ūrdhvam āpādamūlyād ity apaharato dvādaśapaṇo daṇḍaḥ, ādvipādamūlyād iti caturviṃśatipaṇaḥ, ātripādamūlyād iti ṣaṭtriṃśatpaṇaḥ, āpaṇamūlyād ity aṣṭacatvāriṃśatpaṇaḥ, ādvipaṇamūlyād iti pūrvaḥ sāhasadaṇḍaḥ, ācatuṣpaṇamūlyād iti madhyamaḥ, āṣṭapaṇamūlyād ity uttamaḥ, ādaśapaṇamūlyād
iti vadhaḥ //

Those who seize articles of 1 to 2 panas in value shall be punished with the first amercement; articles of 2 to 4 panas in value with the middlemost; and articles of 4 to 8 panas in value with the highest amercement. Those who seize articles of 8 to 10 panas in value shall be condemned to death.

4.9.5

koṣṭhapaṇyakupyāyudhāgārebhyaḥ kupyabhāṇḍopaskarāpahāreṣv ardhamūlyeṣu eta eva daṇḍāḥ //

When any one seizes from courtyards, shops, or arsenals commodities such as raw materials, manufactured articles, etc., of half the above value, he shall also be punished as above. When any person seizes articles of ¼th of the above value from Government treasury, granaries, or offices of Superintendents, he shall be punished with twice the above fines.

4.9.6

kośabhāṇḍāgārākṣaśālābhyaś caturbhāgamūlyeṣu eta eva dviguṇā daṇḍāḥ //

4.9.7

corāṇām abhipradharṣaṇe citro ghātaḥ //

It has already been laid down in connection with the king's harem that those who intimidate thieves (with a view to give them a signal to run away) shall be tortured to death.

4.9.8

iti rājaparigraheṣu vyākhyātam //

4.9.9

bāhyeṣu tu - pracchannam ahani kṣetrakhalaveśmāpaṇebhyaḥ kupyabhāṇḍam upaskaraṃ vā māṣamūlyād ūrdhvam āpādamūlyād ity apaharatas tripaṇo daṇḍaḥ, gomayapradehena vā pralipyāvaghoṣaṇam ādvipādamūlyād iti ṣaṭpaṇaḥ, gomayabhasmanā vā pralipyāvaghoṣaṇam, ātripādamūlyād iti navapaṇaḥ, gomayabhasmanā vā pralipyāvaghoṣaṇam,
śarāvamekhalayā vā āpaṇamūlyād iti dvādaśapaṇaḥ, muṇḍanaṃ pravrājanaṃ vā ādvipaṇamūlyād iti caturviṃśatipaṇaḥ, muṇḍasyeṣṭakāśakalena pravrājanaṃ vā ācatuṣpaṇamūlyād iti ṣaṭtriṃśatpaṇah āpañcapaṇamūlyād
ity aṣṭacatvāriṃśatpaṇaḥ, ādaśapaṇamūlyād iti pūrvaḥ sāhasadaṇḍah āviṃśatipaṇamūlyād it dviśatah ātriṃśatpaṇamūlyād iti pañcaśatah ācatvāriṃśatpaṇamūlyād iti sāhasrah āpañcāśatpaṇamūlyād iti vadhaḥ //

When any person other than a Government servant steals during the day from fields, yards prepared for threshing out grains, houses, or shops commodities such as raw materials, manufactured articles, or necessaries of life, of 1/16th to 1/4th of a pana in value, he shall be fined 3 panas or paraded through the streets, his body being smeared over with cow-dung, and an earthen ware pan with blazing light tied round his loins (sarávamekhalayá). When any person steals articles of ¼ to ½ of a pana in value, he shall be fined 6 panas, or his head may be shaved, or he may be exiled (mundanam pravrajanam vá). When a person steals articles of ½ to 1/3 of a pana in value, he shall be fined 9 panas, or he may be paraded through streets, his body being bedaubed with cowdung or ashes or with an earthenware pan with blazing light tied round his waist. When a person steals articles of 1/3 to 1 pana in value, be shall be fined 12 panas, or his head may be shaved, or he may be banished. When a person steals commodities of 1 to 2 panas in value, he shall be fined 24 panas, or his head may be shaved with a piece of brick, or he may be exiled. When a person steals articles of 2 to 4 panas in value, he shall be punished with a fine of 36 panas; articles of 4 to 5 panas in value, 48 panas; articles of 5 to 10 panas in value, with the first amercement; articles of 10 to 20 panas in value, with a fine of 200 panas; articles of 20 to 30 panas in value, with a fine of 500 panas; articles of 30 to 40 panas in value, with a fine of 1,000 panas; and articles of 40 to 50 panas in value, he shall be condemned to death.

4.9.10

prasahya divā rātrau vāntaryāmikam apaharato 'rdhamūlyeṣu eta eva daṇḍāḥ //

When a person seizes by force, whether during the early part of the day or night, articles of half the above values, he shall be punished with double the above fines.

4.9.11

prasahya divā rātrau vā sa-śastrasyāpaharataś caturbhāgamūlyeṣu eta eva dviguṇā daṇḍāḥ //

When any person with weapons in hand seizes by force, whether during the day or night, articles of ¼th of the above values, he shall be punished with the same fines.

4.9.12

kuṭuṃbikādhyakṣamukhyasvāmināṃ kūṭaśāsanamudrākarmasu pūrvamadhyottamavadhā daṇḍāḥ, yathāparādhaṃ vā //

When a master of a household (kutumbádhyaksha,) a superintendent, or an independent officer (mukhyaswámi) issues or makes use of unauthorised orders or seals, he shall be punished with the first, middlemost, or highest amercement, or he may be condemned to death, or punished in any other way in proportion to the gravity of his crime.

4.9.13

dharmasthaś ced vivadamānaṃ puruṣaṃ tarjayati bhartsayaty apasārayaty abhigrasate vā pūrvam asmai sāhasadaṇḍaṃ kuryāt, vākpāruṣye dviguṇam //

When a judge threatens, browbeats, sends out, or unjustly silences any one of the disputants in his court, he shall first of all be punished with the first amercement. If he defames or abuses any one of them, the punishment shall be doubled. If he does not ask what ought to be asked, or asks what ought not to be asked, or leaves out what he himself has asked, or teaches, reminds, or provides any one with previous statement, he shall be punished with the middle-most amercement.

4.9.14

pṛcchyaṃ na pṛcchati, apṛcchyaṃ pṛcchati, pṛṣṭvā vā visṛjati, śikṣayati, smārayati, pūrvaṃ dadāti vā, iti madhyamam asmai sāhasadaṇḍaṃ kuryāt //

4.9.15

deyaṃ deśaṃ na pṛcchati, adeyaṃ deśaṃ pṛcchati, kāryam adeśenātivāhayati, chalenātiharati, kālaharaṇena śrāntam apavāhayati, mārgāpannaṃ vākyam utkramayati, matisāhāyyaṃ sākṣibhyo dadāti, tāritānuśiṣṭaṃ kāryaṃ punar api gṛhṇāti, uttamam asmai sāhasadaṇḍaṃ kuryāt //

When a judge does not inquire into necessary circumstances, inquires into unnecessary circumstances, (desa), makes unnecessary delay in discharging his duty, postpones work with spite, causes parties to leave the court by tiring them with delay, evades or causes to evade statements that lead to the settlement of a case, helps witnesses giving them clues, or resumes cases already settled or disposed of, he shall be punished with the highest amercement. If he repeats the offence, he shall both be punished with double the above fine and dismissed.

4.9.16

punaraparādhe dviguṇaṃ sthānād vyavaropaṇaṃ ca //

4.9.17

lekhakaś ced uktaṃ na likhati, anuktaṃ likhati, duruktam upalikhati, sūktam ullikhati, arthotpattiṃ vā vikalpayati, iti pūrvam asmai sāhasadaṇḍaṃ kuryād, yathāparādhaṃ vā //

When a clerk does not take down what has been deposed by parties, but enters what has not been deposed, evades what has been badly said (duruktam), or renders either diverse or ambiguous in meaning such depositions as are satisfactorily given out, he shall be punished either with the first amercement or in proportion to his guilt.

4.9.18

dharmasthaḥ pradeṣṭā vā hairaṇyadaṇḍam adaṇḍye kṣipati kṣepadviguṇam asmai daṇḍaṃ kuryāt, hīnātiriktāṣṭaguṇaṃ vā //

When a judge or commissioner imposes an unjust fine in gold, he shall be fined either double the amount of the fine, or eight times that amount of imposition which is either more or less than the prescribed limit.

4.9.19

śarīradaṇḍaṃ kṣipati śārīram eva daṇḍaṃ bhajeta, niṣkrayadviguṇaṃ vā //

When a judge or commissioner imposes an unjust corporeal punishment, he shall himself be either condemned to the same punishment or made to pay twice the amount of ransom leviable for that kind of injustice.

4.9.20

yaṃ vā bhūtam arthaṃ nāśayati abhūtam arthaṃ karoti tadaṣṭaguṇaṃ daṇḍaṃ dadyāt //

When a judge falsifies whatever is a true amount or declares as true whatever amount is false, he shall be fined eight times that amount.

4.9.21

dharmasthīye cārake bandhanāgāre vā śayyāsanabhojanoccārasaṃcārarodhabandhaneṣu tripaṇottarā daṇḍāḥ kartuḥ kārayituś ca //

When an officer lets out or causes to let out offenders from lock-up (cháraka), obstructs or causes to obstruct prisoners in such of their daily avocations as sleeping, sitting, eating, or execreting, he shall be punished with fines ranging from 3 panas and upwards.

4.9.22

cārakād abhiyuktaṃ muñcato niṣpātayato vā madhyamaḥ sāhasadaṇḍaḥ, abhiyogadānaṃ ca, bandhanāgārāt sarvasvaṃ vadhaś ca //

When any person lets out or causes to let out debtors from lock-up, he shall not only be punished with the middlemost amercement, but also be compelled to pay the debt the offender has to pay.

When a person lets out or causes to let out prisoners from jails (bandhanágára), he shall be condemned to death and the whole of his property confiscated.

4.9.23

bandhanāgārādhyakṣasya saṃruddhakam anākhyāya cārayataś caturviṃśatipaṇo daṇḍaḥ, karma kārayato dviguṇaḥ, sthānānyatvaṃ gamayato 'nnapānaṃ vā rundhataḥ ṣaṇṇavatir daṇḍaḥ, parikleśayata utkoṭayato vā madhyamaḥ sāhasadaṇḍaḥ, ghnataḥ sāhasraḥ //

When the superintendeat of jails puts any person in lock-up without declaring the grounds of provocation (samkrudhakamanákhyáya), he shall be fined 24 panas; when he subjects any person to unjust torture, 48 panas; when he transfers a prisoner to another place, or deprives a prisoner of food and water, 96 panas; when be troubles or receives bribes from a prisoner, he shall be punished, with the middlemost amercement; when he beats a prisoner to death, he shall be fined 1,000 panas. When a person commits rape with a captive, slave, or hired woman in lock-up, he shall be punished with the first amercement; when he commits rape with the wife of a thief, or of any other man who is dead in an epidemic (dámara), he shall be punished with the middlemost amercement; and when he commits rape with an Arya woman in lock-up, he shall be punished with the highest amercement.

4.9.24

parigṛhītāṃ dāsīm āhitikāṃ vā saṃruddhikām adhicarataḥ pūrvaḥ sāhasadaṇḍaḥ, coraḍāmarikabhāryāṃ madhyamaḥ, saṃruddhikām āryām uttamaḥ //

4.9.25

saṃruddhasya vā tatraiva ghātaḥ //

When an offender kept in lock-up commits rape with an Arya woman in the same lock-up, he shall be condemned to death in the very place.

4.9.26

tad evākṣaṇagṛhītāyām āryāyāṃ vidyāt, dāsyāṃ pūrvaḥ sāhasadaṇḍaḥ //

When an officer commits rape with an Arya woman who has been arrested for untimely movement at night (akshanagrihitáyám), he shall also be hanged at the very spot; when a similar offence is committed with a woman under slavery, the offender shall be punished with the first amercement.

4.9.27

cārakam abhittvā niṣpātayato madhyamaḥ, bhittvā vadhaḥ, bandhanāgārāt sarvasvaṃ vadhaś ca //

(An officer) who causes a prisoner to escape from a lock-up without breaking it open, shall be punished with the middlemost amercement. (An officer) who causes a prisoner to escape from a lock-up after breaking it open, shall be condemned to death. When he lets out a prisoner from the jail, he shall be put to death and his property confiscated.

4.9.28

evam arthacarān pūrvaṃ rājā daṇḍena śodhayet /
śodhayeyuś ca śuddhās te paurajānapadān damaiḥ //E

Thus shall the king, with adequate punishments, test first the conduct of Government servants, and then shall, through those officers of approved character, examine the conduct of his people both in towns and villages.