Verse 9.261 [Detection of Criminals]

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

तान् विदित्वा सुचरितैर्गूढैस्तत्कर्मकारिभिः ।
चारैश्चानेकसंस्थानैः प्रोत्साद्य वशमानयेत् ॥ २६१ ॥

tān viditvā sucaritairgūḍhaistatkarmakāribhiḥ |
cāraiścānekasaṃsthānaiḥ protsādya vaśamānayet || 261 ||

Having discovered them through well-behaved and disguised men following the same occupations, as also through spies variously disguised, he shall exterminate them and bring them under his control.—(261)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Those following the same occupations.’—Persons who may have been addicted to ‘robbery’ etc., in the past, or who may he asked to do it even at the present time, with a view to become included in the gang and thereby learn their secrets and report them to the King; and also through spies variously disguised.—(261)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

‘Protsādya’.—Nārāyaṇa and Govindarāja read ‘protsāhya’ and explain it as ‘causing them to be instigated’;—Rāghavānanda, who adopts the same reading, explains it as “having inspired them with energy, by saying ‘you must give up this livelihood and earn money by agriculture, trade and other lawful means’.”

‘Anekasaṃsthānaiḥ’.—‘Wearing various disguises’ (Nārāyaṇa and Nandana);—‘stationed in various places’ (Kullūka).

This verse is quoted in Vivādaratnākara (p. 293).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 9.261-263)

Kāmandaka (6.10-13).—‘A monarch having adequately determined the guilt of the wicked persons who have incurred public displeasure, should do away with them without the least delay, by underhand measures. The King should invite the offender to meet him in a secret chamber; when the man has entered the chamber, he should be followed by certain menials with arms hidden about their person, who had been previously instructed. Thereupon the royal door-keepers would enter and under the pretence of suspecting them, should search their persons; and finding the hidden arms openly accuse the offender with having hired these men for assassinating the King. In this manner, imputing crimes to the offenders, the King shall, for the satisfaction of his subjects, weed out the thorns from his realm.’

Arthaśāstra (p. 135).—‘Spies disguised as ascetics, renunciates, mendicants, bards and so forth should be employed by the King to find out the wickedness or otherwise of the people and the King’s officers. If there is any one whom he suspects of dishonest ways of life, the King shall have him shadowed by a man of the same caste; when this latter has won the man’s confidence,—who for example is a judge—he should address him these words—“Such and such a relation of mine has been accused of an offence, do please save him from the danger, and here accept this money for the purpose.” If the judge falls into the trap and accepts the bribe, he should be banished by the King as one addicted to dishonesty.’

Brhaṣpati (22.6).—‘Thieves or robbers, having been found out by the King’s servants, either by associating with them, or through marks of their criminality, or by their possessing the stolen goods, they shall be compelled to restore the plunder and shall be visited with punishments ordained by the law.’

Nārada (Vivādaratnākara, p. 293).—‘Having found out the thieves and robbers through clever spies conversant with the methods adopted by criminals, the King shall follow them up and have them arrested by secretly instructed spies.’

Do. (Theft: 61).—‘As governor, the King shall extirpate the evil-doers, after having traced them by the application of cunning stratagems and arrested them.’