Arthashastra — Adhyakshaprachara, Sutra 12

Devanagari script

पञ्चत्रिंशत्पललोहां द्विसप्तत्यङ्गुलायामां समवृत्तां कारयेत् ॥ कZ_०२.१९.१२ ॥

Transliteration

pañcatriṃśatpalalohāṃ dvisaptatyaṅgulāyāmāṃ samavṛttāṃ kārayet

Translation

সে পঁয়ত্রিশ পল ওজনের লোহার (মানক) দণ্ড/কাঠি বানাবে—বাহাত্তর অঙ্গুল লম্বা, এবং সমান বৃত্তাকার আকৃতির।

Word by Word

• पञ्चत्रिंशत्पललोहाम्: (an object) having iron/metal amounting to thirty-five palas (by weight)
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: पल; लोह
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; विशेष्य: (इष्टिका/शला/दण्डादि) implied; पञ्चत्रिंशत् (संख्या) + पल (मान) + लोह (धातु/लौह)

• द्विसप्तत्यङ्गुलायामाम्: (having) a length of seventy-two angulas
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: अङ्गुलि; आयाम
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; द्विसप्तति (संख्या=72) + अङ्गुलि (मान) + आयाम (लम्ब/दीर्घता)

• समवृत्ताम्: uniformly circular; of even roundness
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत् (वर्तने) / वृत्त (ppp)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; सम + वृत्त (समवृत्त = uniformly circular/with even circumference)

• कारयेत्: should have (it) made; should cause (it) to be manufactured
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (करणे) [णिच्]
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (आज्ञार्थ/विधि), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative (णिच्): ‘cause to be made’

Entities Mentioned

• state artisans/armory/workshop (implied)
• weights authority

More Details

FAQs

What is the governance value of giving exact dimensions and mass?

It enables reproducible official tools across jurisdictions and supports audits: an inspector can verify whether equipment matches the state norm.