Sutra 38

Devanagari script

देवताध्यक्षो दुर्गराष्ट्रदेवतानां यथास्वमेकस्थं कोशं कुर्यात्तथैव चोपहरेत् ॥ कZ_०५.२.३८ ॥

Transliteration

devatādhyakṣo durgarāṣṭradevatānāṃ yathāsvam ekasthaṃ kośaṃ kuryāt tathaiva copaharet ।

Translation

The Superintendent of Deities should establish a consolidated (single-location) treasury for the deities of the fort and the countryside, according to their respective allotments; and he should likewise take (withdraw/appropriate) from it.

Word by Word

• देवताध्यक्षः: the Superintendent of Deities (temple/ritual administration officer)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधि-√इक्ष् (ईक्षते) / अध्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; देवतानाम् + अध्यक्षः = देवताध्यक्षः

• दुर्ग-राष्ट्र-देवतानाम्: of the deities (shrines) in forts and in the realm/countryside
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-बहुवचन; दुर्ग-राष्ट्र (द्वन्द्व-समाहार: ‘forts and the countryside/kingdom’) + देवतानाम्

• यथा-स्वम्: according to each one’s due/according to what belongs to each
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + स्व (अव्यय/सर्वनामाधारित)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/अव्यय-प्रयोग; ‘प्रत्येक के अनुसार/अपने-अपने अनुसार’

• एक-स्थम्: kept in one place (centralized)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (प्रातिपदिक: स्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; ‘एकस्मिन् स्थाने स्थितम्’—कोशम् विशेषयति

• कोशम्: treasury; treasury-fund
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; कर्मपद

• कुर्यात्: should make/establish/arrange
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (करोति)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should make/should arrange’

• तथा: likewise; in the same manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा
• Form: अव्यय; ‘उसी प्रकार’

• एव: indeed; just; exactly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• उपहरेत्: should bring in; should collect and deliver (to the treasury)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√हृ (हरति)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should bring/collect (to)’

Entities Mentioned

• devatādhyakṣa (Superintendent of Deities)
• durga (fort administration)
• rāṣṭra (countryside/realm)
• deities/temple establishments

More Details

FAQs

What administrative move is prescribed here regarding temple funds?

Centralize multiple deity/temple funds into a single treasury under the Superintendent’s control.

What is the political intent behind ‘tathaiva copaharet’?

It authorizes controlled withdrawal/appropriation from that centralized fund—temple wealth becomes a manipulable fiscal buffer for the state.