Sutra 3

Devanagari script

सीता भागो बलिः करो वणिक् नदीपालस्तरो नावः पत्तनं विविचितं वर्तनी रज्जुश्चोररज्जुश्च राष्ट्रम् ॥ कZ_०२.६.०३ ॥

Transliteration

sītā bhāgo baliḥ karo vaṇik nadīpālastaro nāvaḥ pattanaṃ vivicitaṃ vartanī rajjuścorarajjuśca rāṣṭram

Translation

The realm’s (countryside/provincial) revenue base comprises: the crown’s cultivated lands (sītā); the state’s share of produce (bhāga); religious/tributary imposts (bali); taxes (kara); merchants’ dues; river-guard and other riverine charges; boats/ferries; port/town dues (pattana); miscellaneous/irregular collections (vivicita); road/route revenues; rope/toll collections; and “thieves’ rope” (collections connected with anti-bandit enforcement and recoveries).

Word by Word

सीताstate farmland / agriculture (and its produce)

भागःshare; portion (state’s share)

बलिःtribute; levy

करःtax

वणिक्merchant; trader

नदीपालःriver-guard; officer in charge of rivers

तरःferry; crossing (means/service)

नावःboats

पत्तनम्port; harbor-town

विविचितम्separated; demarcated; designated

वर्तनीroute; road; track

रज्जुःrope; measuring cord

चोररज्जुःthieves’ rope; fraudulent measuring line

राष्ट्रम्kingdom; realm; state territory

Entities Mentioned

State farms

Tax administration

Merchant community

River guards

Ports/market towns

Road authorities

Police/anti-bandit apparatus

FAQs

How does this list complement the ‘durga’ revenue list?

It shifts from urban, office- and licensing-based revenues to agrarian shares, territorial taxes, and transport corridor collections across the wider realm.

What is the policy logic behind monetizing rivers, ports, and roads?

These are chokepoints of commerce; charging for protection, passage, and infrastructure turns security and connectivity into steady fiscal streams.