Sutra 23

Devanagari script

अष्टमे ऋत्विगाचार्यपुरोहितस्वस्त्ययनानि प्रतिगृह्णीयात् चिकित्सकमाहानसिकमौहूर्तिकांश्च पश्येत् ॥ कZ_०१.१९.२३ ॥

Transliteration

aṣṭame ṛtvigācāryapurohitasvastyayanāni pratigṛhṇīyāt cikitsakam āhānasikam auhūrtikāṃś ca paśyet

Translation

રાત્રીના આઠમા પ્રહરમાં તે ઋત્વિજ, આચાર્ય અને પુરોહિત પાસેથી સ્વસ્ત્યયન (મંગલ આશીર્વાદ) સ્વીકારે; તેમજ વૈદ્ય, રસોડાના અધ્યક્ષ અને મુહૂર્તજ્ઞોને પણ મળે.

Word by Word

अष्टमेon the eighth (day)

ऋत्विक्the officiating priest

आचार्यthe teacher (preceptor)

पुरोहितthe royal chaplain

स्वस्त्ययनानिauspicious benedictions/rites

प्रतिगृह्णीयात्should accept/receive

चिकित्सकम्the physician

आहानसिकम्the kitchen superintendent (cook-in-charge)

मौहूर्तिकान्the astrologers (muhūrta-calculators)

चand

पश्येत्should see/meet (consult)

Entities Mentioned

Ṛ

ṛtvij

ācārya

purohita

svastyayana

cikitsaka (physician)

āhānasika (kitchen superintendent)

auhūrtika (timing/astrology expert)

FAQs

Why combine ritual benedictions with physician and kitchen oversight?

Kauṭilya integrates symbolic legitimacy with material risk control: public auspiciousness plus practical management of health and food security.

Who are 'auhūrtikāḥ' in administrative terms?

Timing specialists—used to schedule actions (audiences, travel, ceremonies) within accepted calendrical norms, supporting coordination and legitimacy.