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तो अवरा मुत्तघडीउतप्पुरो पाडियाओ जा तिन्नि । ता संपत्तो को बिनियपुरिं उदयणनरिंदो ।।
175
[ākkhyānamanikośa,
Abhayākkhyāna gā.243-244 (p. 16)] [B] The 30th adhyāya of Arthaśāstra is dedicated to the examination of the officials. Three types of officials are mentioned. Mūlahara is the one, who devours all the wealth accumulated by the forefathers. Tādātvika keeps the capital safe and consumes the profit completely. Kadarya accumulates wealth by inflicting pains to oneself and others.
This motif is seen in the famous Ardhamāgadhī-mūlasūtra text (viz. Uttaradhyayana) in the particular context of 'the rareness of the human life.' Three type of merchants are mentioned which are comparable to mūlahara etc. In the last verse it is told that the human life is the capital, divine life is the profit and if we loose the capital, we have to go in the animal kingdom or hell. The concerned gāthās
are -
जहा य तिण्णि वणिया मूलं घेत्तूण निग्गया । एगोऽत्थ लभई लाभं एगो मूलेण आगओ ।। एगो मूलं पि हारेत्ता आगओ तत्थ वाणिओ । ववहारे उवमा एसा एवं धम्मे वियाणह ।।
माणुसत्तं भवे मूलं लाभो देव भवे । मूलच्छेएण जीवाणं नरग - तिरिक्खत्तणं धुवं ।।
(Uttarādhyayana 7.14-15-16)
Sukhabodha, the reputed commentary on Uttaradhyayana has developed the story in a very interesting manner.
[C] The 48th adhyāya of Arthaśāstra is about courtezans and harlots. At the end of this chapter, Kautilya expects espionage from them. In the Abhayakkhyāna, Caṇḍapradyota and Abhayakumāra
