Adhyakshaprachara Adhyaya 2 Sutra 10 - Arthashastra | French | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 10

Devanagari script

नागवनपाला हस्तिपकपादपाशिकसैमिकवनचरकपारिकर्मिकसखा हस्तिमूत्रपुरीषच्छन्नगन्धा भल्लातकीशाखाप्रच्छन्नाः पञ्चभिः सप्तभिर्वा हस्तिबन्धकीभिः सह चरन्तः शय्यास्थानपद्यालेण्डकूलघातोद्देशेन हस्तिकुलपर्यग्रं विद्युः ॥ कZ_०२.२.१० ॥

Transliteration

nāgavanapālā hastipakapādapāśikasaimikavanacarakapārikarmikasakhā hastimūtrapurīṣacchannagandhā bhallātakīśākhāpracchannāḥ pañcabhiḥ saptabhir vā hastibandhakībhiḥ saha carantaḥ śayyāsthānapadyāleṇḍakūlaghātoddeśena hastikulaparyagraṃ vidyuḥ

Translation

Les gardes des forêts d’éléphants—aidés de pisteurs et d’ouvriers forestiers—doivent se déplacer avec cinq ou sept capteurs d’éléphants ; masqués par l’odeur de l’urine et des excréments d’éléphant et dissimulés sous des branches de bhallātakī, ils doivent déterminer l’étendue complète des troupeaux en repérant les lieux de couchage, traces/sentiers, déjections, berges et sites de dégâts.

Word by Word

नागवनपालाḥguards of the elephant-forest

हस्तिपकपादपाशिकसैमिकवनचरकपारिकर्मिकसखाḥthose who are companions of elephant-cookers, foot-noosers, attendants, forest-rangers, and elephant-servants

हस्तिमूत्रपुरीषच्छन्नगन्धाḥhaving their smell covered with elephant urine and dung

भल्लातकीशाखाप्रच्छन्नाḥcovered (concealed) with branches of bhallātakī

पञ्चभिःwith five

सप्तभिःwith seven

वाor

हस्तिबन्धकीभिःwith elephant-binders (those who bind/capture elephants)

सहtogether with

चरन्तःmoving about, roaming

शय्यास्थानपद्यालेण्डकूलघातोद्देशेनby indicating (noting) the signs such as bedding-place, standing-place, footprints, rubbing/mud-wallow marks, and bank/shore damage

हस्तिकुलपर्यग्रंthe full extent/boundary of the elephant herd

विद्युःshould know/ascertain

Entities Mentioned

Nāgavane-pāla (wardens)

elephant-catchers (hastibandhakī)

trackers/forest operatives

elephant herds

FAQs

What modern administrative idea does this verse resemble?

A structured field-intelligence protocol: patrol teams, concealment measures, and standardized indicators to map and monitor high-value assets.