Chapter 68

Theft

Whether secretly or openly, by night or by day, whatever seizure of another's property occurs, that is declared to be theft (steya). // K_810 //

Property that has slipped from another's hand, been picked up from the ground without intent, or been thrown away by a thief—such lost property should be carefully examined. // K_811 //

He who trades with false scales, measures, standards, or counterfeit objects, or with unmarked ones, shall incur the first amercement. // K_812 //

For a theft in a house, the king shall make the thief-catchers pay. And the guards and protectors of the quarters, if the thief is not found. // K_813 //

For property stolen in another village, the king shall make the village headman pay. In an open pasture, the owner of the pasture must pay, or the one who recovers stolen goods in the pasture. // K_814 //

Whatever is stolen from anyone in his own country must be restored by the king. The king should himself search for and recover what was lost. // K_815 //

He should diligently restore the stolen property in its original form. In its absence, its value should be given; otherwise, the king is sinful. // K_816 //

Even if the thief is caught, if the stolen goods are not recovered from him, the king should either give the value or hand over the thief to be made to pay as desired. // K_817 //

If, while they are being made to pay, a doubt arises about the fault, the one who was robbed should be made to take an oath or be cleared by his kinsmen. // K_818 //

If the owner has recovered even a small part of the stolen property from the thief, he shall obtain the remainder from him, once the owner's claim is established. // K_819 //

Those who are destroyers of their own country and those who block the highways, the king, having confiscated all their property, should have them impaled on a stake. // K_820 //

If property is exacted from a non-thief by those engaged in searching for thieves, upon the real thief being found, they shall be made to pay double that amount. // K_821 //

With whatever limb a thief commits an offense against another, the king should cut off that limb, so that he may not do so again. // K_822:1 //

One is not at fault for taking a handful of two gourds or watermelons, five mangoes, or five pomegranates, or of dates, jujubes, and the like. // K_822:2 //

The followers of Manu say that thieves caught with the stolen goods should be banished immediately. This is disliked by the followers of Gautama, as it is censured for destroying a living being. // K_823 //

Whether caught with the stolen goods or without, having ascertained his guilt through evidence of acquisition, one should seize him, proclaim his severed (limb), and deprive him of all his property. // K_824 //

Guarded in iron fetters, on a meager diet, and being strong, they should perform work for the king until death; thus says Kauśika. // K_825 //

When property stolen from another country is found with a foreigner, having taken that property from him, one should release him without punishment. // K_826 //

Those who give food to thieves, and those who give them fire and water, and the buyers of their goods, and those who receive them... // K_827 //

...and those who conceal them, are all remembered as liable for the same punishment. // K_827 //

An unlearned priest or an unstable teacher—having punished both with the punishment of a thief, one should set them on the right path. // K_828 //