Sutra 5

Devanagari script

सामुद्रहस्त्यश्वपुरुषवृषगर्दभाकृतयो मत्स्याः सारसा नादेयास्तटाककुल्योद्भवा वा क्रौञ्चोत्क्रोशकदात्यूहहंसचक्रवाकजीवञ्जीवकभृङ्गराजचकोरमत्तकोकिलमयूरशुकमदनशारिका विहारपक्षिणो मङ्गल्याश्चान्येऽपि प्राणिनः पक्षिमृगा हिंसाबाधेभ्यो रक्ष्याः ॥ कZ_०२.२६.०५ ॥

Transliteration

sāmudra-hastyaśva-puruṣa-vṛṣa-gardabhākṛtayo matsyāḥ sārasā nādeyās taṭāka-kulyodbhavā vā krauñcotkrośaka-dātyūha-haṃsa-cakravāka-jīvañjīvakabhṛṅgarāja-cakora-matta-kokila-mayūra-śuka-madana-śārikā vihārapakṣiṇo maṅgalyāś cānye 'pi prāṇinaḥ pakṣimṛgā hiṃsā-bādhebhyo rakṣyāḥ

Translation

Marine fish (including those shaped like elephants, horses, humans, bulls, or donkeys), sārasas, river-fish, and those arising from tanks and canals; and birds such as krauñca, utkrośaka, dātyūha, haṃsa, cakravāka, jīvañjīva, bhṛṅgarāja, cakora, matta-kokila, mayūra, śuka, madana, śārikā—recreational birds, auspicious creatures, and other beings among birds and wild animals—are to be protected from injury and harassment.

Word by Word

सामुद्रmarine, sea-born

हस्त्यelephant-like (elephant-shaped)

अश्वhorse-like (horse-shaped)

पुरुषman-like (human-shaped)

वृषbull-like

गर्दभdonkey-like

आकृतयःforms, shapes

मत्स्याःfish

सारसाःcranes (sārasas)

नादेयाःriver-born, from rivers

तटाकpond, tank

कुल्यcanal, water-channel

उद्भवाःarising from, originating in

वाor

क्रौञ्चkrauncha (a kind of bird)

उत्क्रोशloud-crying (as a bird-name element)

कदात्यूहkadātyūha (a kind of water-bird)

हंसgoose, swan

चक्रवाकcakravāka (ruddy goose)

जीवञ्जीवकjīvañjīvaka (a kind of bird)

भृङ्गराजbhṛṅgarāja (a kind of bird)

चकोरcakora (partridge)

मत्तकोकिलmattakokila (a kind of cuckoo/bird)

मयूरpeacock

शुकparrot

मदनmadana (a kind of bird; lit. ‘Madana’)

शारिकाśārikā (myna/starling)

विहारपक्षिणःbirds of recreation/park-dwelling birds

मङ्गल्याःauspicious

चand

अन्येother

अपिalso, even

प्राणिनःliving beings, creatures

पक्षिbird

मृगbeast, wild animal (deer etc.)

हिंसाkilling, violence

बाधेभ्यःfrom harms, from injuries

रक्ष्याःmust be protected

Entities Mentioned

marine fish

river fish

pond/canal fish

krauñca

haṃsa

cakravāka

mayūra

śuka

abhayavana context (implicit)

FAQs

Why does Kautilya enumerate specific birds and aquatic life?

To convert broad conservation intent into enforceable administration: named categories reduce ambiguity for officers and courts when identifying protected species.

What does ‘maṅgalya’ (auspicious) protection imply in governance terms?

The state protects culturally significant fauna to preserve public sentiment and ritual order, aligning legitimacy with administrative regulation.