The state has a responsibility for ensuring the observance of laws concerning relations between husbands and wives, inheritance, the rights of women, servants and slaves, contracts and similar civil matters. Further, there have to be laws to avoid losses to the state treasury and to prevent embezzlement or misuse of power by servants of the state. Therefore an integral part of Arthashastra is dandaniti, the enforcement of laws by a voluminous and comprehensive set of fines and punishments.
