Sutra 2

Devanagari script

हस्त्यायामद्विगुणोत्सेधविष्कम्भायामां हस्तिनीस्थानाधिकां सप्रग्रीवां कुमारीसंग्रहां प्रान्मुखीमुदन्मुखीं वा शालां निवेशयेत् ॥ कZ_०२.३१.०२ ॥

Transliteration

hastyāyāma-dviguṇotsedha-viṣkambha-āyāmāṃ hastinī-sthānādhikāṃ sapragrīvāṃ kumārī-saṃgrahāṃ prānmukhīm udanmukhīṃ vā śālāṃ niveśayet

Translation

He should construct an elephant-stable whose height and breadth are twice an elephant’s measure, with length accordingly, providing slightly more than the space required for an adult female elephant; it should have a fore-neck/fore-part provision, a separate enclosure for young females, and be oriented facing east or north.

Word by Word

हस्ति-आयाम-द्वि-गुण-उत्सेध-विष्कम्भ-आयामाम्(a stable) whose length, height and breadth are each twice the elephant’s length

हस्तिनी-स्थान-अधिकाम्(a stable) larger than the space required for a female elephant’s standing place

स-प्रग्रीवाम्(a stable) provided with a projecting/raised front-neck (forepart)

कुमारी-संग्रहाम्(a stable) having a separate enclosure/arrangement for young female elephants

प्राक्-मुखीम्east-facing

उदक्-मुखीम्north-facing

वाor

शालाम्a stable/shed (elephant-stable)

निवेशयेत्should establish/build

Entities Mentioned

war elephants

juvenile elephants (kumārī)

FAQs

Why does Kautilya specify orientation (east/north) for stables?

Beyond auspicious convention, fixed orientation supports uniform planning, ventilation/light expectations, and inspectability across facilities—key for scalable administration.