Abhiyasyatkarma Adhyaya 1 Sutra 40 - Arthashastra | Bengali | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 40

Devanagari script

मार्गशीर्षीं तैषीं चान्तरेण दीर्घकालां यात्रां यायात् चैत्रीं वैशाखीं चान्तरेण मध्यमकालां ज्येष्ठामूलीयामाषाढीं चान्तरेण ह्रस्वकालामुपोषिष्यन्व्यसने चतुर्थीम् ॥ कZ_०९.१.४० ॥

Transliteration

mārgaśīrṣīṃ taiṣīṃ cāntareṇa dīrghakālāṃ yātrāṃ yāyāt, caitrīṃ vaiśākhīṃ cāntareṇa madhyamakālāṃ, jyeṣṭhāmūlīyām āṣāḍhīṃ cāntareṇa hrasvakālām; upoṣiṣyan vyasane caturthīm

Translation

দীর্ঘমেয়াদি অভিযান মার্গশীর্ষ ও তাইষের মধ্যবর্তী সময়ে; মধ্যমেয়াদি অভিযান চৈত্র ও বৈশাখের মধ্যবর্তী সময়ে; স্বল্পমেয়াদি অভিযান জ্যেষ্ঠামূলীয় ও আষাঢ়ের মধ্যবর্তী সময়ে করা উচিত। বিপদের সময় ‘চতুর্থী’ (উপবাস/তপস্যা-নিয়ম) পালন করা উচিত।

Word by Word

मार्गशीर्षीम्(in) Mārgaśīrṣa (month) / the Mārgaśīrṣa-timed (journey)

तैषीम्(in) Taiṣa (month) / the Taiṣa-timed (journey)

चand

अन्तरेणexcluding; without; except (for)

दीर्घकालाम्a long-duration (journey/campaign)

यात्राम्campaign; expedition; march

यायात्should go; should set out

चैत्रीम्(in) Caitra (month) / the Caitra-timed (journey)

वैशाखीम्(in) Vaiśākha (month) / the Vaiśākha-timed (journey)

चand

अन्तरेणexcluding; without; except (for)

मध्यमकालाम्a medium-duration (journey/campaign)

ज्येष्ठामूलीया(in) Jyeṣṭha and Mūla (months/periods)

आषाढीम्(in) Āṣāḍha (month) / the Āṣāḍha-timed (journey)

चand

अन्तरेणexcluding; without; except (for)

ह्रस्वकालाम्a short-duration (journey/campaign)

उपोषिष्यन्intending to wait/fast; remaining in a state of ‘upavāsa’ (halt/abstain)

व्यसनेin calamity; in distress

चतुर्थीम्the fourth lunar day (Caturthī)

Entities Mentioned

Mārgaśīrṣa

Taiṣa

Caitra

Vaiśākha

Jyeṣṭha–Mūla

Āṣāḍha

vyasana (distress)

FAQs

How does Kauṭilya link campaign duration to the calendar?

He assigns long/medium/short expeditions to specific seasonal intervals to control supply risk, mobility, and agricultural impacts.

What is the governance meaning of ‘upoṣiṣyan vyasane caturthīm’?

In crisis, the ruler adopts austerity and restraint—signaling discipline, conserving resources, and enforcing frugality across the administration.