Sutra 17

Devanagari script

संजातलोहिता प्रतिच्छन्ना सम्लिप्तपक्षा समकक्ष्या व्यतिकीर्णमांसा समतल्पतला जातद्रोणिकेति शोभाः ॥ कZ_०२.३१.१७ ॥

Transliteration

saṃjātalohitā praticchannā samliptapakṣā samakakṣyā vyatikīrṇamāṃsā samatalpatalā jātadroṇiketi śobhāḥ

Translation

Marks of good appearance are: a well-formed reddish hue, a properly covered body, well-smeared/healthy ears, evenly set shoulders, well-distributed flesh, a level back, and well-formed ‘droṇikā’ features (proper bodily hollows/contours).

Word by Word

संजातलोहिताhaving redness that has arisen; newly reddened

प्रतिच्छन्नाcovered, concealed

सम्लिप्तपक्षाwhose sides/wings (flanks) are smeared/plastered

समकक्ष्याhaving even/level armpit/side-region; evenly proportioned at the flanks

व्यतिकीर्णमांसाwhose flesh is well-spread/firmly distributed (well-filled)

समतल्पतलाwhose underside/bed-surface (belly/underpart) is even and level

जातद्रोणिकाhaving a ‘dronikā’ feature (a trough/bowl-like mark or depression)

इतिthus; as follows

शोभाःbeauties; auspicious features/marks

Entities Mentioned

inspectors

court/stables

FAQs

Why would an administrative manual include ‘beauty’ criteria?

Because appearance correlates with health and conditioning, and also matters for ceremonial legitimacy and royal prestige—both are state interests.