Sutra 10

Devanagari script

प्रतिमानान्ययोमयानि मागधमेकलशैलमयानि यानि वा नोदकप्रदेहाभ्यां वृद्धिं गच्छेयुरुष्णेन वा ह्रासम् ॥ कZ_०२.१९.१० ॥

Transliteration

pratimānānyayomayāni māgadhamekalaśailamayāni yāni vā nodakapradehābhyāṃ vṛddhiṃ gaccheyuruṣṇena vā hrāsam

Translation

Let the standard measures (pratimāna) be made of iron, or of Māgadha stone, or of Ekalaśaila stone—or any material that will not increase by wetting/smearing with water, nor decrease by heat.

Word by Word

• प्रतिमानानि: standard weights/measures (reference standards)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिमान
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचन

• अयःमयानि: made of iron
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अयःमय
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचन; प्रतिमानानि इति विशेषणम्

• मागधम्: of the Magadhan standard
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मागध
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; (प्रतिमानम्/मानम् इत्यर्थे) विशेषणरूपेण

• एकलशैलमयानि: made of a single stone (monolithic)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकलशैलमय
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचन; प्रतिमानानि इति विशेषणम्

• यानि: which (those)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय

• न: not
• Type: Particle
• Root: न
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• उदकप्रदेहाभ्याम्: by water and by smearing/coating (with moisture)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदकप्रदेह
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे); तृतीया द्विवचन; साधन/हेतौ

• वृद्धिम्: increase
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धि
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्म

• गच्छेयुः: should undergo / would go to (i.e., increase)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष बहुवचन

• उष्णेन: by heat
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उष्ण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन; साधन/हेतौ

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय

• ह्रासम्: decrease
• Type: Noun
• Root: ह्रास
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्म

Entities Mentioned

• metrology workshop/state artisans
• market inspectors
• merchants and buyers (affected parties)

More Details

FAQs

Why specify materials resistant to water and heat effects?

To prevent deliberate manipulation (swelling/shrinking) and accidental drift, ensuring stable taxation, pricing, and legal enforcement.

What does this imply about Kautilya’s administrative style?

It is compliance-oriented and technical: governance is secured through durable standards and controllable procedures, not only moral exhortation.