Sutra 20

Devanagari script

बहिः परिखाया धनुःशतापकृष्टाश्चैत्यपुण्यस्थानवनसेतुबन्धाः कार्याः यथादिशं च दिग्देवताः ॥ कZ_०२.४.२० ॥

Transliteration

bahiḥ parikhāyā dhanuḥśatāpakṛṣṭāś caityapuṇyasthānavanasetubandhāḥ kāryāḥ yathādiśaṃ ca digdevatāḥ

Translation

Outside the moat, at a distance of one hundred bow-lengths, sacred shrines and meritorious places, reserved groves, and embankments/causeways (for water-control and crossings) should be constructed; and the directional deities should be installed according to their respective quarters.

Word by Word

• बहिः: outside; externally
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिस्
• Form: अव्यय (स्थान/दिशा-वाचक)

• परिखायाः: of the moat
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिखा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (परिखा-सम्बन्धः)

• धनुःशत: a hundred bows (a distance-measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् + शत
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (मात्रा/परिमाण-वाचक)

• अपकृष्टाः: placed at a distance; kept away
• Type: Participle (Verbal adjective)
• Root: अप + कृश् (कर्षणे) / अपकृष्
• Form: भूतकृदन्त/कर्मणि क्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; ‘(स्थाना:) अपकृष्टाः’ = दूरस्थाः

• चैत्य: shrines; sacred monuments
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (समाहार/सूची-रूपेण)

• पुण्यस्थान: holy places; meritorious sites
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य + स्थान
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन

• वन: woods; forests
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन

• सेतुबन्धाः: bridges and embankments (causeways/dams)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेतु + बन्ध
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन

• कार्याः: should be made; are to be constructed/established
• Type: Participle (Verbal adjective)
• Root: कृ (करणे)
• Form: विध्यर्थे ‘कार्य’ (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; कर्तव्याः/निर्मेयाः

• यथा: as; according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकार/अनुरूपता-वाचक)

• आदिशम्: according to instruction/direction
• Type: Indeclinable (adverbial accusative)
• Root: आदिश् (आदेशे)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगवत् नपुंसक द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘यथादिशम्’ = यथाऽऽदेशम्

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

• दिक्: the directions (quarters)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश्
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (दिशः) — पदच्छेदे ‘दिक्’ (प्रातिपदिक)

• देवताः: deities (of the directions)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन

Entities Mentioned

• moat (parikhā)
• shrines (caitya)
• sacred sites (puṇyasthāna)
• groves (vana)
• embankments/causeways (setubandha)
• directional deities (digdevatāḥ)

More Details

FAQs

Why place shrines, groves, and embankments outside the moat at a fixed distance?

It creates a controlled peri-urban belt: a safety buffer for defense, designated zones for public works and sacred/civic functions, and regulated land use that reduces encroachment near fortifications.

What administrative intent is served by installing directional deities?

It standardizes spatial order and civic ritual mapping, reinforcing a shared urban layout and legitimizing planned zoning through widely accepted religious conventions.