Sutra 40

Devanagari script

उपनिवेशदिग्विभागो गोप्रचाराद्बलान्वयतो वा गवां रक्षासामर्थ्याच्च ॥ कZ_०२.२९.४० ॥

Transliteration

upaniveśadigvibhāgo gopracārād balānvayato vā gavāṃ rakṣāsāmarthyāc ca

Translation

The directional layout and zoning of cattle-settlements (upaniveśa) shall be determined either by the grazing routes, or by the distribution/availability of force (guards and manpower), and also by the capacity to protect the cattle.

Word by Word

• उपनिवेश-दिक्-विभागः: the division (demarcation) of directions/quarters for a settlement (colony/village-site)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभज्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; समस्तपद: उपनिवेशस्य दिकां विभागः (उपनिवेश + दिक् + विभाग)

• गो-प्रचारात्: from (consideration of) the cattle’s grazing range
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रचर्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-एकवचन; गोप्रचार = गवां प्रचारः (चराई/चरागाह-परिसर)

• बल-अन्वयतः: or according to the availability/connection of force (security support)
• Type: Avyaya
• Root: अन्वि/अनु-इ
• Form: अव्यय; -तः = 'according to/with reference to'; बलान्वय = बलस्य अन्वयः (बल-सम्बन्ध/बल-समर्थन/बल-आधार)

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

• गवाम्: of cattle
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (गो), षष्ठी-बहुवचन

• रक्षा-सामर्थ्यात्: from (consideration of) the capacity to protect (them)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर्थ
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-एकवचन; रक्षासामर्थ्य = रक्षायाः सामर्थ्यम् (रक्षण-क्षमता)

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

Entities Mentioned

• upaniveśa (cattle-settlement)
• gopracāra (grazing routes)
• bala (guards/force)
• gāvaḥ (cattle)

More Details

FAQs

What is the administrative principle behind deciding the layout of cattle-settlements (upaniveśa)?

Kauṭilya ties settlement zoning to operational realities: grazing movement, availability of guards/manpower, and the objective capacity to protect herds.

What modern policy idea does this resemble?

Risk-informed spatial planning: site and route design based on security capacity and resource flows.