Kautilya's Arthashastra 5.3: Chapter 3 (Section 91): The Salaries of State Servants

5.3.1

durgajanapadaśaktyā bhṛtyakarma samudayapādena sthāpayet, kāryasādhanasahena vā bhṛtyalābhena //

IN accordance with the requirements of his forts and country parts, the king should fix under one-fourth of the total revenue the charges of maintaining his servants. He should look to the bodily comforts of his servants by providing such emoluments as can infuse in them the spirit of enthusiasm to work. He should not violate the course of righteousness and wealth.

5.3.2

śarīram avekṣeta, na dharmārthau pīḍayet //

5.3.3

ṛtvigācāryamantripurohitasenāpatiyuvarāja.rājamātṛrājamahiṣyo 'ṣṭacatvāriṃśatsāhasrāḥ //

The sacrificial priest (ritvig), the teacher, the minister, the priest (purohita), the commander of the army, the heir-apparent prince, the mother of the king, and the queen shall (each receive) 48,000 (panas per annum). With this amount of subsistence, they will scarcely yield themselves to temptation and hardly be discontented.

5.3.4

etāvatā bharaṇenānāspadyatvam akopakaṃ caiṣāṃ bhavati //

5.3.5

dauvārikāntarvaṃśikapraśāstṛsamāhartṛsaṃnidhātāraś caturviṃśatisāhasrāḥ //

The door-keeper, the superintendent of the harem (antarvamsika) the commander (prasástri), the collector-general, and the chamberlain, 24,000. With this amount they become serviceable.

5.3.6

etāvatā karmaṇyā bhavanti //

5.3.7

kumārakumāramātṛnāyakapauravyāvahārikakārmāntikamantri.pariṣadrāṣṭrāntapālāś ca dvādaśasāhasrāḥ //

The prince (kumára), the nurse of the prince, the chief constable (náyaka), the officer in charge of the town (paura) the superintendent of law or commerce (vyávahárika), the superintendent of manufactories (karmántika), members of the council of ministers, the superintendents of country parts and of boundaries, 12,000. With this they will be loyal and powerful supporters of the king's cause.

5.3.8

svāmiparibandhabalasahāyā hy etāvatā bhavanti //

5.3.9

śreṇīmukhyā hastyaśvarathamukhyāḥ pradeṣṭāraś cāṣṭasāhasrāḥ //

The chiefs of military corporations, the chiefs of elephants, of horses, of chariots and of infantry and commissioners (pradeshtárah), 8,000. With this amount they can have a good following in their own communities.

5.3.10

svavargānukarṣiṇo hy etāvatā bhavanti //

5.3.11

pattyaśvarathahastyadhyakṣā dravyahastivanapālāś ca catuḥsāhasrāḥ //

The Superintendents of infantry, of cavalry, of chariots and of elephants, the guards of timber and elephant forests, 4,000.

5.3.12

rathikānīkasthacikitsakāśvadamakavardhakayo yonipoṣakāś ca dvisāhasrāḥ //

The chariot-driver, the physician of the army, the trainer of horses, the carpenter, (vardhaki), and those who rear animals (yoniposhaka), 2,000.

5.3.13

kārtāntikanaimittikamauhūrtikapaurāṇikasūtamāgadhāḥ purohitapuruṣāḥ sarvādhyakṣāś ca sāhasrāḥ //

The foreteller, the reader of omens, the astrologer, the reader of Puránas, the story-teller, the bard (mágadha), the retinue of the priest, and all superintendents of departments, 1,000.

5.3.14

śilpavantaḥ pādātāḥ saṃkhyāyakalekhakādivargaś ca pañcaśatāḥ //

Trained soldiers, the staff of accountants and writers, 500.

5.3.15

kuśīlavās tv ardhatṛtīyaśatāḥ, dviguṇavetanāś caiṣāṃ tūryakarāḥ //

Musicians (kusílava), 250. Of these, the trumpet-blowers (túryakara) shall get twice as much wages as others. Artisans and carpenters, 120.

5.3.16

kāruśilpino viṃśatiśatikāḥ //

5.3.17

catuṣpadadvipadaparicārakapārikarmikaupasthāyikapālakaviṣṭibandhakāḥ ṣaṣṭivetanāḥ, āryayuktārohakamāṇavakaśailakhanakāḥ sarvopasthāyinaś ca //

Servants in charge of quadrupeds and bipeds, workmen doing miscellaneous work, attendants upon the royal person, body-guards, and the procurer of free labourers shall receive a salary of 60 panas.

The honourable play-mate of the king (áryayukta), the elephant-driver, the sorcerer (manavaka), miners of mountains (sailakhanaka), all kinds of attendants, teachers, and learned men shall have honorarium ranging from 500 to 1,000 (panas) according to their merit.

5.3.18

ācāryā vidyāvantaś ca pūjāvetanāni yathārhaṃ labheran pañcaśatāvaraṃ sahasraparam //

5.3.19

daśapaṇiko yojane dūto madhyamaḥ, daśottare dviguṇavetana āyojanaśatād iti //

A messenger of middle quality shall receive 10 panas for each yojana he travels; and twice as much when he travels from 10 to 100 yojanas.

5.3.20

samānavidyebhyas triguṇavetano rājā rājasūyādiṣu kratuṣu //

Whoever represents the king in the rájasúya and other sacrifices shall get three times as much as is paid to others who are equal to him in learning; and the charioteer of the king (in the sacrifices), 1,000.

5.3.21

rājñaḥ sārathiḥ sāhasraḥ //

5.3.22

kāpaṭikodāsthitagṛhapatikavaidehakatāpasavyañjanāḥ sāhasrāḥ //

Spies such as the fradulent (kápatika), the indifferent (udásthita), the house-holder, the merchant, and the ascetic 1,000.

5.3.23

grāmabhṛtakasattritīkṣṇarasadabhikṣukyaḥ pañcaśatāḥ //

The village-servant (grámabhritaka), fiery spies, poisoners and mendicant women, 500 (panas).

5.3.24

cārasaṃcāriṇo 'rdhatṛtīyaśatāḥ, prayāsavṛddhavetanā vā //

Servants leading the spies, 250 or in proportion to the work done by them.

5.3.25

śatavargasahasravargāṇām adhyakṣā bhaktavetanalābham ādeśaṃ vikṣepaṃ ca kuryuḥ //

Superintendents of a hundred or a thousand coinmunities (varga) shall regulate the subsistence, wages, profits, appointinent, and transference (vikshepa), of the men under them.

5.3.26

avikṣepo rājaparigrahadurgarāṣṭrarakṣāvekṣaṇeṣu ca //

There shall be no transference of officers employed to guard the royal buildings, forts, and country parts. The chief officers employed to superintend the above places shall be many and shall permanently hold the same office.

5.3.27

nityamukhyāḥ syur anekamukhyāś ca //

5.3.28

karmasu mṛtānāṃ putradārā bhaktavetanaṃ labheran //

The sons and wives of those who die while on duty shall get subsistence and wages. Infants, aged persons, or deceased persons related to the deceased servants shall also be shown favour. On occasions of funerals, sickness, or child-birth, the king shall give presentations to his servants concerned therein.

5.3.29

bālavṛddhavyādhitāś caiṣām anugrāhyāḥ //

5.3.30

pretavyādhitasūtikākṛtyeṣu caiṣām arthamānakarma kuryāt //

5.3.31

alpakośaḥ kupyapaśukṣetrāṇi dadyāt, alpaṃ ca hiraṇyam //

When wanting in money, the king may give forest produce, cattle, or fields along with a small amount of money. If he is desirous to colonise waste lands, he shall make payments in money alone; and if he is desirous of regulating the affairs of all villages equally, then he shall give no village to any (of his servants).

5.3.32

śūnyaṃ vā niveśayitum abhyutthito hiraṇyam eva dadyāt, na grāmaṃ grāmasaṃjātavyavahārasthāpanārtham //

5.3.33

etena bhṛtānām abhṛtānāṃ ca vidyākarmabhyāṃ bhaktavetanaviśeṣaṃ ca kuryāt //

Thus the king shall not only maintain his servants, but also increase their subsistence and wages in consideration of their learning and work.

5.3.34

ṣaṣṭivetanasyāḍhakaṃ kṛtvā hiraṇyānurūpaṃ bhaktaṃ kuryāt //

Substituting one ádhaka for the salar of 60 panas payment in gold may be commuted for that in kind.

5.3.35

pattyaśvarathadvipāḥ sūryodaye bahiḥ saṃdhidivasavarjaṃ śilpayogyāḥ kuryuḥ //

Footmen, horses, chariots, and elephants shall be given necessary training in the art of war at sunrise, on all days but those of conjunction (of planets). on these occasions of training, the king shall ever be present and witness their exercise.

5.3.36

teṣu rājā nityayuktaḥ syāt, abhīkṣṇaṃ caiṣāṃ śilpadarśanaṃ kuryāt //

5.3.37

kṛtanarendrāṅkaṃ śastrāvaraṇam āyudhāgāraṃ praveśayet //

Weapons and armour shall be entered into the armoury only after they are marked with the king's seal.

5.3.38

aśastrāś careyuḥ, anyatra mudrānujñātāt //

Persons with weapons shall not be allowed to move anywhere unless they are permitted by a passport.

5.3.39

naṣṭaṃvinaṣṭaṃ vā dviguṇaṃ dadyāt //

When weapons are either lost or spoilt, the superintendent shall pay double their value; an account of the weapons that are destroyed shall be kept up.

5.3.40

vidhvastagaṇanāṃ ca kuryāt //

5.3.41

sārthikānāṃ śastrāvaraṇam antapālā gṛhṇīyuḥ, samudram avacārayeyur vā //

Boundary-guards shall take away the weapons and armour possessed by caravans unless the latter are provided with a passport to travel with weapons.

5.3.42

yātrām abhyutthito vā senām udyojayet //

When starting on a military tour, the king shall put his army in action. On such occasions, spies, under the garb of merchants, shall supply to military stations all kinds of merchandise for double the quantity of the same to be repaid in future. Thus not only is there afforded an opportunity for the sale of the king's merchandise, but also is there a way opened for a good return for the wages paid.

5.3.43

tato vaidehakavyañjanāḥ sarvapaṇyāny āyudhīyebhyo yātrākāle dviguṇapratyādeyāni dadyuḥ //

5.3.44

evaṃ rājapaṇyayogavikrayo vetanapratyādānaṃ ca bhavati //

5.3.45

evam avekṣitāyavyayaḥ kośadaṇḍavyasanaṃ nāvāpnoti //

Thus, when both the receipts and expenditure are properly cared for, the king will never find himself in financial or military difficulties.

5.3.46

iti bhaktavetanavikalpaḥ //

Such are the alternatives with regard to subsistence and wages.

5.3.47

sattriṇaś cāyudhīyānāṃ veśyāḥ kārukuśīlavāḥ /
daṇḍavṛddhāś ca jānīyuḥ śaucāśaucam atandritāḥ //E

Spies, prostitutes, artisans, singers, and aged military officers shall vigilantly examine the pure or impure conduct of military men.