Arthashastra — Adhyakshaprachara, Sutra 11

Devanagari script

चतुर्दशाङ्गुलं शमः शलः परीरयः पदं च ॥ कZ_०२.२०.११ ॥

Transliteration

caturdaśāṅgulaṃ śamaḥ śalaḥ parīrayaḥ padaṃ ca

Translation

চৌদ অংগুলৰ পৰিমাপক ‘শম’ বোলা হয়—ইয়াক ‘শল’ বা ‘পৰীৰয়’ বুলিও কয়—আৰু ই ‘পদ’ (পা/ফুট) পৰিমাপো।

Word by Word

• चतुर्दशाङ्गुलम्: (of) fourteen finger-breadths (a fixed measure)
• Type: Noun (measure phrase)
• Root: चतुर्दश + अङ्गुल
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (प्रमाणवाचकं विशेषणम्)

• शमः: ‘śama’—a named measuring rod/standard (technical term)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा

• शलः: ‘śala’—a named measuring rod/standard (technical term)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा

• परीरयः: ‘parīraya’—a named measuring rod/standard (technical term)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परीरय
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा

• पदम्: ‘pada’—a unit/standard of measure
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थकः

Entities Mentioned

• aṅgula
• śama
• śala
• parīraya
• pada

More Details

FAQs

Why list multiple names (śama/śala/parīraya) for one measure?

To unify regional or professional vocabularies so contracts, audits, and orders remain consistent across the kingdom.