Adhyakshaprachara Adhyaya 3 Sutra 16 - Arthashastra | French | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 16

Devanagari script

प्राकारमुभयतो मेण्ढकमध्यर्धदण्डं कृत्वा प्रतोलीषट्तुलान्तरं द्वारं निवेशयेत्पञ्चदण्डादेकोत्तरमाष्टदण्डादिति चतुरश्रं षड्भागमायामादधिकमष्टभागं वा ॥ कZ_०२.३.१६ ॥

Transliteration

prākāram ubhayato meṇḍhakamadhyardhadaṇḍaṃ kṛtvā pratolīṣaṭtulāntaraṃ dvāraṃ niveśayet pañcadaṇḍād ekottaram āṣṭadaṇḍād iti caturaśraṃ ṣaḍbhāgam āyāmād adhikam aṣṭabhāgaṃ vā

Translation

Il doit construire le rempart avec des saillies « meṇḍhaka » des deux côtés, de (une) demi-daṇḍa (et demie) au milieu ; et il doit placer une porte à un intervalle de six tūlas depuis le corps de garde/maison de la porte ; sa mesure va de quinze daṇḍas plus un jusqu’à huit daṇḍas (comme indiqué) ; et elle doit être carrée, la largeur dépassant la longueur d’un sixième, ou d’un huitième (proportion alternative).

Word by Word

प्राकारम्rampart / enclosing wall

उभयतःon both sides

मेण्ढक‘meṇḍhaka’ type projection/bastion (ram-shaped feature)

मध्यmiddle / central part

अर्धhalf

दण्डम्a daṇḍa (rod; a unit of measure)

कृत्वाhaving made / after making

प्रतोलीgatehouse / gateway structure

षट्six

तुलtul (a measure/spacing unit)

अन्तरम्interval / spacing

द्वारम्gate / doorway

निवेशयेत्should place / should construct / should install

पञ्चfive

दण्डात्from/than a daṇḍa

एकone

उत्तरम्additional / exceeding

अष्टeight

दण्डात्from/than a daṇḍa

इतिthus / as follows

चतुरश्रंquadrangular / four-cornered

षड्भागम्six parts / a sixfold division

आयामात्from the length / with respect to length

अधिकम्more / in excess

अष्टभागम्eight parts / an eightfold division

वाor

Entities Mentioned

prākāra (rampart)

meṇḍhaka (projection/buttress)

pratolī (gatehouse)

dvāra (gate)

units: daṇḍa, tūla

FAQs

Why does Kautilya prescribe proportions and numeric measures for gates and walls?

Because fortifications are state-critical assets: precise standards reduce corruption in works, ensure predictable defensive performance, and make inspection enforceable.