Adhyakshaprachara Adhyaya 24 Sutra 24 - Arthashastra | Assamese | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 24

Devanagari script

तुषारपायनमुष्णशोषणं चासप्तरात्रादिति धान्यबीजानाम् त्रिरात्रं वा पञ्चरात्रं वा कोशीधान्यानां मधुघृतसूकरवसाभिः शकृद्युक्ताभिः काण्डबीजानां छेदलेपो मधुघृतेन कन्दानामस्थिबीजानां शकृदालेपः शाखिनां गर्तदाहो गोऽस्थिशकृद्भिः काले दौह्र्दं च ॥ कZ_०२.२४.२४ ॥

Transliteration

tuṣārapāyanamuṣṇaśoṣaṇaṃ cāsaptarātrāditi dhānyabījānām trirātraṃ vā pañcarātraṃ vā kośīdhānyānāṃ madhughṛtasūkaravasābhiḥ śakṛdyuktābhiḥ kāṇḍabījānāṃ chedalepo madhughṛtena kandānāmasthibījānāṃ śakṛdālepaḥ śākhināṃ gartadāho go'sthiśakṛdbhiḥ kāle dauhrdaṃ ca

Translation

ধান্যবীজৰ বাবে শিশিৰ/ঠাণ্ডা পানীত ভিজাই পাছত উষ্ণতাত শুকুৱোৱা সাত ৰাতিৰ ভিতৰত কৰিব লাগে; কিছুমান ধান্যৰ বাবে তিন বা পাঁচ ৰাতি। কাণ্ড-কলমৰ বাবে কটা ঠাইত মধু, ঘিঁউ আৰু গাহৰিৰ চৰ্বি গোবৰ সৈতে মিহলাই ছেদ-লেপ দিব লাগে; কন্দত মধু-ঘিঁউৰ লেপ; কঠিন/গুটি-বীজত গোবৰ লেপ। গছৰ বাবে ৰোপণ-গাঁতত গাইৰ হাড় আৰু গোবৰ দি (গাঁতৰ ভিতৰতে) দাহ কৰিব লাগে। আৰু এই সকলো কাম ঋতু অনুসাৰে সময়মতে কৰিব লাগে।

Word by Word

तुषारपायनम्treatment by (or with) frost/dew (a cooling exposure)

उष्णशोषणम्drying by heat

चand

असप्तरात्रात्within less than seven nights (i.e., in under a week)

इतिthus

धान्यबीजानाम्of grain-seeds

त्रिरात्रम्for three nights

वाor

पञ्चरात्रम्for five nights

वाor

कोशीधान्यानाम्of ‘kośī’ grains (a classified type of grain)

मधुघृतसूकरवसाभिःwith honey, ghee, and boar’s fat

शकृत्-युक्ताभिःmixed with dung

काण्डबीजानाम्of stem-seeds / stem-propagated seeds

छेदलेपःcutting and coating (a cut-and-smear treatment)

मधुघृतेनwith honey and ghee

कन्दानाम्of tubers/bulbs

अस्थिबीजानाम्of hard/stone seeds (kernel-like seeds)

शकृत्-आलेपःa coating with dung

शाखिनाम्of trees (branching plants)

गर्तदाहःburning/heating of the planting pit

गोऽस्थिशकृद्भिःwith cow-bones and dung

कालेin the proper season/time

दौह्र्दम्the ‘dauhṛda’ treatment (special nurturing rite to induce flowering/fruiting)

चand

Entities Mentioned

dhānya-bīja

kāṇḍa-bīja

kanda

śākhī (trees)

go-asthi

śakṛt

FAQs

What is the governance logic behind prescribing specific seed and pit treatments?

They function as standardized agronomic protocols to reduce crop failure risk, improve germination, and stabilize state agricultural revenue and supplies.

Why is timing (‘kāle’) explicitly stated?

Because even correct techniques fail if mistimed; Kautilya encodes seasonality as part of compliance, not optional farmer discretion.