Theft and robbery in early Indian records: Types of Theives and Robbers

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CHAPTER 111/

Types of Thieves and' Robbers/

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Thieves are said to be either prakasa (open or patent)

^ (1 ) or a prakasa (secret). ..These two classes'of thieves are again subdivided lnto ’nutfierous groups according to their skill and (2 )

mode of cheating.

The secret thieves are- said to be those

'who move about with tools for house-breaking without be.ing observed' and whose;'residence is:;not known. ,(3) They are; cla s s if i'.

ed”

) as’follows :

(

.

(1) those who quietly-relieve a man of his money

when'he is attending'to something else;-.? :(2 ) house-breakers, (3) highway-robbers, (4) cut-.purses,, .and (5 ) .kidnappers of women, '* " 1 ( }

20. Buddhist Legends, op.cit., pp.227ff. 21. Bloomfield, op.clt., p.104. 22. Mrechakatika, trans. Ryder, p.52; Lai Behari Day, Polk Tales

KVet. xL\v, of Bengal, pp.l71ff»; Bloomfield, op.cit., p.118. 23. Buddhist Legends, op.cit. . pp.304ff. 24. Mrs.Rhys Davids, Psalms of the Brethren, p. 189.

25. S.L.Sadhu, Polk Tales from Kashmir, pp.8lff. 26. The Jataka, op.clt., Vol. IV, No. 465» „ •

'27. Bloomfield,

'Character and Adventure of Muladeva' in

Proceedings o f the American Philosophical Society, Vol.' LII, (1913), pp.632ff. L£&4.

28. Hornle, Uvasagadasso, Appendix ii,. note 8 quoted by Bloomfield, -op.clt., pp. 623ff. Pc * 29. E.C.Sacha^., Alberuni's India, Vol. I, p.47. 30. D.C.Sircar,

' .

'The Robbers of the Forests' in Journal of the

Oriental Institute, Vol. XV, 1966; Nos. 3-4, pp. 378ff. 31. Ibid., pp.3?8ff.; Kautilya, IV. 5 (for Vanacora). N $>.£-.

,

TL^iL-)

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32. Lbird-^T pp. 3 78f f. ^ Kautilya,.IV.—5 , (f or ^Vanacora-)-* 33*. Ibid., pp.378ff.^ Kautilya, IV. 5 (for Vanacora ). 34. Ibid.

0

pp.378fiV; Kautilya—I V«

5

(for -Vstngreora4-»

35. Bloomfield in AJP, Vol. XLVII^pp. 208ff.

62

36j»

Jataka, op.clt. , Vol. IV, No.503; Panoat antra. trans Ryder, p. 201. U. A Y&i-T«

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