According to Kautilya's Arthashastra, which of the following are correct?
1. A person could be a slave as a result of a judicial punishment.
2. If a female slave bore her master a son, she was legally free.
3. If a son born to a female slave was fathered by her master, the son was entitled to the legal status of the master's son.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2

(b) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

APEDIA

UPSC Prelims

2022 • 05 Jun, 2022 • Paper-1

According to Kautilya's Arthashastra, which of the following are correct?
1. A person could be a slave as a result of a judicial punishment.
2. If a female slave bore her master a son, she was legally free.
3. If a son born to a female slave was fathered by her master, the son was entitled to the legal status of the master's son.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Correct Answer

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Penal Slavery: Statement 1 is correct. The Arthashastra comprehensively details the institution of slavery and explicitly codifies 'Danda-pranita', which transl......

💡 Analysis & Explanation

Penal Slavery ▼

Statement 1 is correct. The Arthashastra comprehensively details the institution of slavery and explicitly codifies 'Danda-pranita', which translates to an individual being enslaved by the state or a court order as a direct consequence of failing to pay state fines or as a punitive measure for specific crimes.

Emancipation Rules ▼

Statement 2 is correct. The text contains remarkably progressive social injunctions for its time, stating clearly that if a female slave (dasi) gives birth to her master's child, she automatically earns her legal freedom and can no longer be sold or pledged by him.

Inheritance Rights ▼

Statement 3 is correct. The child born from such a union was not condemned to inherit the mother's slavery but was legally recognized as the legitimate offspring of the master, holding equivalent legal status and inheritance rights to other sons.

Conclusion ▼

All three statements accurately reflect the highly structured Mauryan-era civil and penal codes compiled by Kautilya.

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