Sutra 4

Devanagari script

पुरस्तादुपस्थानम् दक्षिणतः कोशशासनकार्यकरणानि वामतो राजाउपवाह्यानां हस्त्यश्वरथानां स्थानम् ॥ कZ_१०.१.०४ ॥

Transliteration

purastādupasthānam dakṣiṇataḥ kośaśāsanakāryakaraṇāni vāmato rājāupavāhyānāṃ hastyaśvarathānāṃ sthānam

Translation

Vorn soll der Audienz-/Aufenthaltsbereich sein; rechts die Schatzkammer und die Ämter für die administrative Ausführung; links der Stellplatz für die Reittiere/Fahrzeuge des Königs — Elefanten, Pferde und Wagen.

Word by Word

• पुरस्तात्: in front; to the fore (on the eastern/front side)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरस्
• Form: अव्यय; दिक्शब्द-निपातः; अर्थे—पूर्वदिशि/अग्रे

• उपस्थानम्: attendance; the place/act of standing by (stationing of attendants)
• Type: Noun (action noun)
• Root: उप-स्था
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; भाववाचक-नाम (उपस्थान = उपस्थितिः/सेवा/attendance)

• दक्षिणतः: on the right side; to the south/right
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दक्षिण
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (दक्षिण + तः); अर्थे—दक्षिणभागे

• कोश: treasury
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; (समासपूर्वपद) ‘कोश’ = राजकोष/treasury; समासे पूर्वपदम्

• शासन: administration; governance
• Type: Noun (action/result noun)
• Root: शास्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासमध्यपद) ‘शासन’ = शासन-व्यवस्था/administration; समासे पदम्

• कार्य: work; official business
• Type: Noun (gerundive used as noun)
• Root: कृ
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासमध्यपद) ‘कार्य’ = कार्यम्/official business; समासे पदम्

• करणानि: the apparatus/offices/instruments for treasury, administration, and official business
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचन; ‘करण’ = साधन/उपकरण/office-instruments; समस्तपदम्: कोश-शासन-कार्य-करणानि

• वामतः: on the left side
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वाम
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (वाम + तः); अर्थे—वामभागे

• राज्ञः: of the king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन

• उपवाह्यानाम्: of the mounts/vehicles (rideables)
• Type: Noun/Adjective (substantivized)
• Root: उप-वाह्य
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी बहुवचन; ‘उपवाह्य’ = उपवाहनयोग्य/rideable, mounts/vehicles

• हस्ति: elephants
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्तिन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; (समासपूर्वपद) ‘हस्ति’ = elephant; द्वन्द्वसमासे पदम्

• अश्व: horses
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; (समासमध्यपद) ‘अश्व’ = horse; द्वन्द्वसमासे पदम्

• रथानाम्: of chariots (i.e., of elephants, horses, and chariots)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासस्य उत्तरपद (हस्त्यश्व-रथानाम्)

• स्थानम्: the place/station (assigned position)
• Type: Noun (action/result noun)
• Root: स्था
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘स्थान’ = place/station

Entities Mentioned

• king (rājā)
• treasury (kośa)
• administrative offices (śāsana-kārya-karaṇa)
• elephants
• horses
• chariots

More Details

FAQs

Why does Kauṭilya place the treasury and administrative offices inside the camp layout?

To keep revenue, orders, and execution tightly coupled even during campaigns—war does not suspend governance; it intensifies the need for fast administrative throughput and secure custody.