Sutra 5
षोडशद्रोणं जाङ्गलानां वर्षप्रमाणमध्यर्धमानूपानां देशवापानामर्धत्रयोदशाश्मकानाम् त्रयोविंशतिरवन्तीनाममितमपरान्तानां हैमन्यानां च कुल्यावापानां च कालतः ॥ कZ_०२.२४.०५ ॥
ṣoḍaśadroṇaṃ jāṅgalānāṃ varṣapramāṇamadhyardhamānūpānāṃ deśavāpānāmardhatrayodaśāśmakānām trayoviṃśatiravantīnām amitam aparāntānāṃ haimanyānāṃ ca kulyāvāpānāṃ ca kālataḥ
The standard measure of rainfall (varṣa-pramāṇa) is: sixteen droṇas in arid (jāṅgala) regions; eight and a half in marshy (ānūpa) regions; twelve and a half for Deśa and Vāpa areas; thirteen and a half for Aśmaka; twenty-three for Avanti; and for Aparānta it is not fixed (variable). For winter-crops and for canal/ditch-irrigated sowings (kulyā-vāpa), it is to be assessed according to the season/time.
FAQs
To calibrate taxation, sowing schedules, irrigation priorities, and famine-risk planning to local ecological realities rather than a single empire-wide norm.
It signals high variability/uncertainty, requiring flexible assessment instead of rigid targets—an administrative cue to rely on observation-based decisions.