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THREE Commissioners (pradeshtárah) or three ministers shall deal with measures to suppress disturbance to peace (kantakasodhanam kuryuh).

Those who can be expected to relieve misery, who can give instructions to artisans, who can be trusted with deposits, who can plan artistic work after their own design, and who can be relied upon by guilds of artisans, may receive the deposits of the guilds. The guilds (srení) shall receive their deposits back in time of distress.

Artisans shall, in accordance. with their agreement as to time, place, and form of work, fulfill their engagements. Those who postpone their engagements under the excuse that no agreement as to time, place and form of work has been entered into shall, except in troubles and calamities, not only forfeit ¼th of their wages, but also be punished with a fine equal to twice the amount of their wages. They shall also make good whatever is thus lost or damaged. Those who carry on their work contrary to orders shall not only forfeit their wages, but also pay a fine equal to twice the amount of their wages.

(Weavers.)

Weavers shall increase the threads (supplied to them for weaving cloths) in the proportion of 10 to 11 (dasaikádasikam). They shall otherwise, not only pay either a fine equal to twice the loss in threads or the value of the whole yarn, but also forfeit their wages. In weaving linen or silk cloths (kshaumakauseyánam), the increase shall be 1 to 1½. In weaving fibrous or woollen garments or blankets (patronakambáladukúlánám), the increase shall be 1 to 2.

In case of loss in length, the value of the loss shall be deducted from the wages and a fine equal to twice the loss shall be imposed. Loss in weight (tuláhíne) shall be punished with a fine equal to four times the loss. Substitution of other kind of yarn, shall be punished with a fine equal to twice the value of the original.

The same rules shall apply to the weaving of broad cloths (dvipatavánam).

The loss in weight in woollen threads due to threshing or falling of hair is 5 palas.

(Washermen.)

Washermen shall wash clothes either on wooden planks or on stones of smooth surface. Washing elsewhere shall not only be punished with a fine of 6 panas, but also be subject for the payment of a compensation equal to the damage.

Washermen wearing clothes other than such as are stamped with the mark of a cudgel shall be fined three panas. For selling, mortgaging, or letting out for hire the clothes of others, a fine of 12 panas shall be imposed.

In case of substitution of other clothes, they shall not only be punished with a fine equal to twice the value of the clothes, but also be made to restore the true ones.

For keeping for more than a night clothes which are to be made as white as a jasmin flower, or which are to attain the natural colour of their threads on washing on the surface of stones, or which are to be made whiter merely by removing their dirt by washing, proportional fines shall be imposed. For keeping for more than 5 nights such clothes as are to be given thin colouring, for more than six nights such as are to be made blue, for more than 7 nights such as are to be made either as white as flowers or as beautiful and shiny as lac, saffron, or blood and such clothes as require much skill and care in making brilliant, wages shall be forfeited.

Trustworthy persons shall be judges in disputes regarding colour and experts shall determine the necessary wages.

For washing the best garments, the wages shall be one pana; for those of middle quality, half a pana; and for those of inferior quality ¼th of a pana.

For rough washing on big stones, the wages shall be ⅛th of a pana.

[In the first wash of red-coloured clothes, there is a loss of ¼th part (of the colour); in the second wash, 1/5th part. This explains subsequent losses. The rules pertaining to washermen are also applicable to weavers.

Goldsmiths who, without giving information (to the government), purchase from unclean hands silver or golden articles without changing the form of the articles shall be fined 12 panas; if they do the same changing the form of the articles (i.e., melting), they shall be fined 24 panas; if they purchase the same from the hands of a thief, they shall be fined 48 panas; if they purchase an article for less than its value after melting it in secret, they shall be liable to the punishment for theft; likewise for deception with manufactured articles. When a goldsmith steals from a suvarna gold equal to the weight of a másha (1/16th of a suvarna), he shall be punished 200 panas; when he steals from a silver dharana silver equal to the value of a másha, he shall be fined 12 panas. This explains the proportional enhancement of punishments. When a goldsmith removes the whole amount of the gold (karsha) from a suvarna by apasárana method or by any other deceiptful combination (yoga), he shall be punished with a fine of 500 panas. In case of contaminating them (gold and silver) in any way, the offence shall be regarded as loss of their intrinsic colour.

One másha shall be the fee for the manufacture of a silver dharana; for the manufacture of a suvarna, ⅛th of the same; or fees may be increased to twice the above according to the skill of the manufacturer. This explains the proportional increase of fees.

Fees for the manufacture of articles from copper, brass, vaikrinataka, and árakúta shall be five percent. In the manufacture of articles from copper (?), 1/10th of the copper will be lost. For the loss of a pala in weight, a fine of twice the loss shall be imposed. This explains the proportional increase of punishments. In the manufacture of articles from lead and tin, 1/20th of the mass will be lost. One kákani shall be the fee for manufacturing an article of a pala in weight of the above. In the manufacture of articles from iron, 1/5th of the mass will be lost; two kákanis shall be the fee for manufacturing an article of a pala in weight from iron. This explains the proportional increase of fees.

When the examiner of coins declares an unacceptable current coin to be worthy of being entered into the treasury or rejects an acceptable current coin, he shall be fined 12 panas. When the examiner of coins misappropriates a másha from a current coin of a pana, the tax, (Vyájí) of five percent on the coin having been duly paid, he shall be fined 12 panas. This explains the proportional increase of fines. When a person causes a counterfeit coin to be manufactured, or accepts it, or exchanges it, he shall be fined 1,000 panas; he who enters a counterfeit coin into the treasury shall be put to death.]

(Scavengers.)

Of whatever precious things sweepers come across while sweeping, one-third shall be taken by them and two-thirds by the king. But precious stones shall be wholly surrendered to the king. Seizure of precious stones shall be punished with the highest amercement.

A discoverer of mines, precious stones, or treasure troves shall, on supplying the information to the king, receive 1/6th of it as his share; but if the discoverer happens to be a peon (bhritaka), his share shall be only 1/12th of it.

Treasure troves valued beyond 100,000 shall wholly be taken by the king. But if they are of less value, the discover shall receive 1/6th of it as his share.

Such treasure troves as a man of pure and honest life can prove to be his ancestral property shall wholly be taken by the man himself. Taking possession of a treasure trove without establishing such claim shall be punished with a fine of 500 panas. Taking possession of the same in secret shall be punished with a fine of 1,000 panas.

(Medical Practice).

Physicians undertaking medical treatment without intimating (to the government) the dangerous nature of the disease shall, if the patient dies, be punished with the first amercement. If the death of a patient under treatment is due to carelessness in the treatment, the physician shall be punished with the middle-most amercement. Growth of disease due to negligence or indifference (karmavadha) of a physician shall be regarded as assault or violence.

(Musicians).

Bands of musicians (kúsílavah) shall, during the rainy season, stay in a particular place. They shall strictly avoid giving too much indulgence or causing too much loss (atipátam) to any one. Violation of the above rule shall be punished with a fine of 12 panas. They may hold their performances to their liking in accordance with the procedure of their country, caste, family, profession, or copulation.

The same rules shall apply to dancers, dumb-players and other mendicants.

For offences, mendicants shall receive as many lashes with an iron rod as the number of panas imposed on them.

Wages for the works of other kinds of artisans shall be similarly determined.

 Thus traders, artisans, musicians, beggers, buffoons and other idlers who are thieves in effect though not in name shall be restrained from oppression on the country.

[Thus ends Chapter I, “Protection of artisans” in Book IV, “The Removal of Thorns” of the Arthasástra of Kautilya. End of the seventy-eighth chapter from the beginning.]