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?

The correct answer is 2 and 3 only

Key Points

• According to Kautilya's Arthashastra, a person could become a slave as a result of war or debt, but not as a juidicial punishment. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
•  If a female slave bore her master a son, she was legally free.
  • This clause provided a way for female slaves to gain their freedom.
  • By bearing a child for her master, the slave woman was released from her bondage, which illustrates an aspect of the social and familial customs surrounding slavery in ancient India.  Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• 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.
  • This indicates that the son of the female slave and the master had the same rights and status as the children born to the master's legal wife, ensuring the child's integration into the master's family line and inheritance rights.  Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Additional Information

• Kautilya's Arthashastra is an ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy, and military strategy that was written by Kautilya (also known as Chanakya). It is a comprehensive manual on governance and administration.
• The Arthashastra discusses various aspects of social and economic life in ancient India, including the conditions and rights of slaves. It provided detailed guidelines on legal and social issues, reflecting the complex societal structure of that period.