Saṁghavṛtta, the eleventh book of Kautilya’s Arthashastra (Mauryan era, c. 4th century BCE), codifies the conduct of saṁghas—guilds, corporate bodies and associations. Written in a pragmatic, empirical voice, it prescribes constitutions, election of officials, duties, penalties, dispute-resolution, taxation and market supervision to ensure orderly commerce and public welfare. Key themes are collective responsibility, internal discipline, transparent administration, and the balancing of private profit with state interest. Saṁghavṛtta reveals an advanced institutional imagination: self-regulation, standards, and accountability long before modern corporate law. Its insights remain strikingly relevant today for corporate governance, trade associations, cooperative management, compliance regimes and the design of institutions that marry economic activity with civic accountability.