Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c19.11

c19.11

| *Asoka's Edicts.* | *Kauṭilya's Arthaśāstra* |
| | under the agreement between him and his master which should be known to their neighbours (*karmakarasya karmasambandhamāsannā vidyuḥ*). The amount of the wages was to be determined by the nature of the work and the time taken in doing it. Non-payment of such wages was fined. The *bhṛitaka* was also entitled to his *vetana* or legal wages and to some concession if he was incapacitated for work (*aśaktaḥ*) or put to ugly work (*kutsita karma*) or was ill or in distress (*vyadhau vyasane*). It is thus clear that the full content of Asoka's repeated injunctions in his Edicts for 'proper treatment of slaves and dependents' can only be understood in the light of the details of such treatment as given by Kauṭilya. In another chapter [II. 1.], Kauṭilya lays down as the king's duty to correct (*vinayaṁ grāhayet*) those who neglect their duty towards slaves and relatives (*dāsāhitakabandhūnaśṛiṇvato*) and punishes with a |