Sutra 48

Devanagari script

षोडश इति बार्हस्पत्याः ॥ कZ_०१.१५.४८ ॥

Transliteration

ṣoḍaśa iti bārhaspatyāḥ

Translation

The followers of Bṛhaspati say: the council should be sixteen (members).

Word by Word

• षोडश: sixteen
• Type: Noun (Numeral)
• Root: षोडशन् (संख्याशब्द)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम्; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (नपुंसकलिङ्गे/सामान्यतः अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः); ‘(संख्या) sixteen’

• इति: thus; ‘so (it is said)’
• Type: Particle (Quotative)
• Root: इति
• Form: अव्ययम्; वाक्य/उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचकः (quotative marker)

• बार्हस्पत्याः: (according to) the Bārhaspatyas / followers of Bṛhaspati
• Type: Noun (Adjective used substantively)
• Root: बृहस्पति (तद्धित: बार्हस्पत्य)
• Form: षष्ठी बहुवचनम् (स्त्रीलिङ्गे ‘मतिः/उक्तिः/परम्परा’ इत्यादि अव्यक्त-शब्दस्य); अर्थः—‘बृहस्पतेः (अनुयायिन्यः/मताः)’

Entities Mentioned

• Bṛhaspati (school of thought)
• Mantripariṣad (implied)

More Details

FAQs

What administrative issue is being debated here?

The optimal size of the king’s advisory council (mantripariṣad).

Why cite another school (Bṛhaspati)?

Kauṭilya frames policy as a reasoned choice among expert traditions, not mere custom.