Sutra 29

Devanagari script

तुटो लवो निमेषः काष्ठा कल्ला नालिका मुहूर्तः पूर्वापरभागौ दिवसो रात्रिः पक्षो मास ऋतुरयनं संवत्सरो युगमिति कालाः ॥ कZ_०२.२०.२९ ॥

Transliteration

tuṭo lavo nimeṣaḥ kāṣṭhā kallā nālikā muhūrtaḥ pūrvāparabhāgau divaso rātriḥ pakṣo māsa ṛtur ayanaṃ saṃvatsaro yugam iti kālāḥ

Translation

The time-units are: tuṭa, lava, nimeṣa, kāṣṭhā, kallā, nālikā, muhūrta; the forenoon and afternoon divisions; day, night; fortnight, month; season; solstitial course (ayana); year; and yuga—these are the time measures.

Word by Word

तुटःa unit of time called tuṭa

लवःa unit of time called lava

निमेषःa blink; a unit of time (nimeṣa)

काष्ठाa unit of time called kāṣṭhā

कल्लाa unit of time called kallā

नालिकाnālikā; a time-measure (water-clock unit)

मुहूर्तःa muhūrta (time period)

पूर्वापरभागौthe two parts—former and latter portions (of the day)

दिवसःday

रात्रिःnight

पक्षःfortnight (half-month)

मासःmonth

ऋतुःseason

अयनम्half-year (ayana)

संवत्सरःyear

युगम्an age; yuga

इतिthus; so (marking the end of the list)

कालाःtime-units; measures of time

Entities Mentioned

tuṭa

lava

nimeṣa

kāṣṭhā

kallā

nālikā

muhūrta

divasa

rātri

pakṣa

māsa

Ṛ

ṛtu

ayana

saṃvatsara

yuga

FAQs

Why does the Arthashastra enumerate time units from very small to very large?

To support administrative precision at multiple scales: watch-duty and court timing (small units), fiscal and agricultural cycles (months/seasons), and long-term state planning (years/yugas).

What is the practical administrative role of 'nālikā'?

Nālikā ties timekeeping to a measurable device (water-clock), enabling uniform scheduling for guards, offices, and market regulation.