Sutra 1

Devanagari script

नावध्यक्षः समुद्रसम्याननदीमुखतरप्रचारान्देवसरोविसरोनदीतरांश्च स्थानीयादिष्ववेक्षेत ॥ कZ_०२.२८.०१ ॥

Transliteration

nāvadhyakṣaḥ samudrasamyāna-nadīmukha-tara-pracārān deva-sarovi-saro-nadī-tarāṃś ca sthānīyādiṣv avekṣeta

Translation

The Superintendent of Boats should supervise and inspect—through local officers and related functionaries—the sea-going routes, river-mouth ferry traffic, and crossings over sacred lakes, reservoirs, and rivers.

Word by Word

• नावाध्यक्षः: the superintendent of ships/navigation
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाव + अध्यक्ष
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; समासः—नावानाम् अध्यक्षः

• समुद्र: sea/ocean
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (समासे पूर्वपदम्)

• सम्य: the sea-coast/sea-border zone
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (समासे पूर्वपदम्); ‘सम्य’ = समुद्र-तट/समुद्र-सीमा/समुद्र-सन्निकर्ष-प्रदेश (प्रयोगानुसार)

• नदीमुख: river-mouth/estuary
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी + मुख
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (समासे पूर्वपदम्); नदीमुखम् = नद्याः मुखम्

• तर: a ford/ferry-crossing
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (समासे पूर्वपदम्); ‘तर’ = तारण-स्थान/घाट (ford/ferry-crossing)

• प्रचारान्: routes/traffic movements
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र + चर्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचन; ‘प्रचार’ = गमन-आगमन/परिभ्रमण/आवागमन-मार्ग

• देवसरः: a sacred/temple lake
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + सरस्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (समासे पूर्वपदम्); देवसरः = देव-सम्बन्धि सरः

• विसरः: a reservoir/lake (type: visara)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि + सरस्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (समासे पूर्वपदम्); ‘विसर’ = विस्तीर्ण सरः/जलाशय-प्रकार

• नदीतरान्: river crossings/ferries
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी + तर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचन; नदीतरः = नद्याः तरः (नदी-तरण-स्थान/घाट)

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• स्थानीयादिषु: in the jurisdictions/places of the local authorities and others
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थानीय + आदि
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समूहवाचक), सप्तमी-बहुवचन; ‘-आदि’ = ‘इत्यादि’

• अवेक्षेत: should inspect/supervise
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + ईक्ष्
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; अर्थः—निरीक्षेत/पर्यवेक्षेत

Entities Mentioned

• nāvadhyakṣa (boat superintendent)
• local officers (sthānīya)
• sea routes
• river-mouth ferries
• lakes/reservoirs crossings

More Details

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about administrative structure?

Central policy via the nāvādhyakṣa is implemented through local officers, indicating layered oversight for wide geographic coverage.

Why include sacred lakes ('deva-saras') in regulation?

Even religiously significant sites generate traffic and revenue and can be security-sensitive; hence they fall under state supervision.