Adhyakshaprachara Adhyaya 21 Sutra 24 - Arthashastra | French | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 24

Devanagari script

अन्तपालः सपादपणिकां वर्तनीं गृह्णीयात्पण्यवहनस्य पणिकामेकखुरस्य पशूनामर्धपणिकां क्षुद्रपशूनां पादिकामंसभारस्य माषिकाम् ॥ कZ_०२.२१.२४ ॥

Transliteration

antapālaḥ sapādapaṇikāṃ vartanīṃ gṛhṇīyāt paṇyavahanasya paṇikām ekakhurasya paśūnām ardhapaṇikāṃ kṣudrapaśūnāṃ pādikām aṃsabhārasya māṣikām

Translation

L’officier de frontière doit percevoir les droits de transit (vartanī) ainsi : un paṇa et un quart pour un chariot/véhicule ; un paṇa pour un animal de bât ou un porteur transportant des marchandises ; un demi-paṇa pour un animal à sabot unique ; un quart de paṇa pour les petits animaux ; et un māṣa pour une charge portée à l’épaule.

Word by Word

अन्तपालःthe frontier-guard / officer in charge of the border-post

सपादपणिकाम्a fee of one and a quarter pana

वर्तनीम्road-toll / transit duty

गृह्णीयात्should collect / should take

पण्यवहनस्यof a carrier transporting merchandise

पणिकाम्a fee of one pana

एकखुरस्यof single-hoofed (animals)

पशूनाम्of animals

अर्धपणिकाम्a fee of half a pana

क्षुद्रपशूनाम्of small animals

पादिकाम्a fee of one quarter pana

अंसभारस्यof a shoulder-load (burden carried on the shoulder)

माषिकाम्a fee measured in māṣas (a very small unit)

Entities Mentioned

antapāla

caravans

carriers

livestock owners

FAQs

What administrative principle is reflected by enumerating specific toll rates?

Standardization: a published rate-card reduces bargaining, corruption, and arbitrary exactions while making revenue predictable.