Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c8.s4.5

c8.s4.5

The authorities are asked to guard against embezzlement to which government servants dealing with large amounts of receipts are liable. It is difficult to detect embezzlement, just as it is difficult to detect fishes drinking in water as they swim in it. Officers found guilty of corruption or embezzlement are to be proceeded against and made to refund the public money embezzled (*Āsrāvayechchopachitān*). They will be further punished by being degraded to lower posts (*viparyasyechcha karmasu viparyasyet vyatyayena niveśayet uchchakarmasthānebhyovaropya nīchakarmasthaneshu niyuñjīta*). The two punishments for embezzlement are thus (1) *Āsrāvaṇa* (refunding) and (2) *Viparyasana* (degrading). On the other hand, those officers who distinguish themselves by not merely abstaining from embezzlement of public revenue but even by increasing it in accordance with law (*nyāyataḥ*) will be made permanent in their service (*nityādhikārāḥ*).