[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [General history and culture](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general) › [The Rashtrakutas and their Times](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.altekar-1934) › c19.s1.t5.3 # The Rashtrakutas and their Times c19.s1.t5.3 The Rāṣṭrakūṭas and their Times c19.s1.t5.3 - **Language:** English ### [c19.s1.t5.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.altekar-1934.c19.s1.t5.3) This communal and government liability has been recognised by several writers. Viṣṇu says that if the king is unable to recover stolen goods, he must pay their value out of his treasury.⁵⁶ The rules in the Arthaśāstra are more detailed. Kauṭalya says, ‘When any part of merchandise has been lost or stolen, the headman of the village shall make up the loss. Whatever merchandise is lost or stolen in the intervening places between two villages, shall be made good by the superintendent of the pasture. If there is no pasture-land, then the officer called Chorarajjuka would be responsible. Failing him, the boundary and neighbouring villages shall make up the loss, and if the property cannot be ultimately traced, the king shall ultimately make good the loss out of his own treasury.⁵⁷ That this communal and government liability, which has been admitted even by Kauṭalya, was actually enforced in practice is shown by a 12th century inscription from Rajaputana, which embodies an agreement on the part of the townsmen of Dhalopa, that they would be responsible for any thefts that might occur in their town. The king of the place had made the arrangements about the watch and ward of the place.⁵⁸ The principle of the communal responsibility was thus recognised by early writers like Viṣṇu and Kauṭalya, and was actually enforced in Rajputana of the 12th and in the Deccan of the 17th and the 18th centuries. It is, therefore, very likely that it was enforced in our period as well. - [Previous: c19.s1.t5.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.altekar-1934.c19.s1.t5.2) - [Next: c19.s1.t5.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.altekar-1934.c19.s1.t5.4) - [Up: c19.s1.t5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.altekar-1934.c19.s1.t5) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.altekar-1934.c19.s1.t5.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.altekar-1934.c19.s1.t5.3) · Pramāṇa