Muni's PlayArthashastra - The Five Faults of Writing
Devanagari
अकान्तिर्व्याघातः पुनरुक्तमपशब्दः सम्प्लव इति लेखदोषाः ॥
Transliteration
akāntir-vyāghātaḥ punaruktam-apaśabdaḥ samplava iti lekha-doṣāḥ ||
Translation
The Five Faults (2.10.57): Lack of luster (Akānti), Contradiction (Vyāghāta), Repetition (Punarukta), Bad Grammar/Usage (Apaśabda), and Confusion (Samplava)—these are the faults of an edict.
Definitions of the Faults (2.10.58 – 62)
| Fault | Definition (Sutra) | Description of the Flaw |
|---|---|---|
| Akāntiḥ | (2.10.58) | Use of bad paper, or writing that is unlovely, uneven, or has discolored letters. |
| Vyāghātaḥ | (2.10.59) | When the later part of the message does not match or support the earlier part (self-contradiction). |
| Punaruktam | (2.10.60) | Repeating what has already been said without adding any new meaning or distinction. |
| Apaśabdaḥ | (2.10.61) | The wrong use of gender (liṅga), number (vacana), time/tense (kāla), or case (kāraka). |
| Samplavaḥ | (2.10.62) | Grouping what should not be grouped, failing to group what should be, and the reversal of qualities/priorities. |
Index: index