Chapters 1 through 5 of Book IV of Arthashastra mark a decisive turn from the resolution of private disputes to the detection and destruction of public enemies. The law no longer waits for a plaintiff to bring a complaint; it goes hunting.

The Rig Veda consists of 1,028 hymns grouped into 10 books called Maṇḍalas. Its verses express praise, philosophical inquiry, and deep yearning for prosperity, protection, and truth. Over this series, we will explore the Rig Veda hymn by hymn, beginning with the very first one.

Chapters 6 through 10 of Arthashastra address the most intimate bonds that hold society together: marriage, family, and inheritance. Kautilya legislates the forms of marriage, the rights and duties of wives and husbands, the grounds for divorce and abandonment, the property a woman brings into marriage and what she may take when she leaves.