Sutra 11

Devanagari script

अयमुच्चैः सिञ्चति इति कात्यायनः प्रवव्राज क्रौञ्चोऽपसव्यमिति कणिङ्को भारद्वाजः तृणमिति दीर्घश्चारायणः शीता शाटी इति घोटमुखः हस्ती प्रत्यौक्षीत् इति किञ्जल्कः रथाश्वं प्राशंसीत् इति पिशुनः प्रतिरवणे शुनः पिशुनपुत्रः ॥ कZ_०५.५.११ ॥

Transliteration

ayamuccaiḥ siñcati iti kātyāyanaḥ pravavrāja krauñco'pasavyam iti kaṇiṅko bhāradvājaḥ tṛṇam iti dīrghaś cārāyaṇaḥ śītā śāṭī iti ghoṭamukhaḥ hastī pratyaukṣīt iti kiñjalkaḥ rathāśvaṃ prāśaṃsīt iti piśunaḥ pratiravaṇe śunaḥ piśunaputraḥ

Translation

Kātyāyana pergi sambil berkata, “Ia memercik dari atas.” Krauñca pergi sambil berkata, “Itu tidak mujur/berlawanan arah.” Kaṇiṅka Bhāradvāja pergi sambil berkata, “Itu hanya rumput.” Dīrgha Cārāyaṇa pergi sambil berkata, “Dingin—kain tipis.” Ghoṭamukha pergi sambil berkata, “Seekor gajah telah diperciki secara berbalik (sebagai pertanda).” Kiñjalka pergi sambil berkata, “Kuda kereta sedang dipuji.” Piśuna—Śuna, putra Piśuna—pergi pada saat terdengar teriakan balasan/keributan bermusuhan.

Word by Word

अयम्this (man/one)

उच्चैःaloud; loudly; on high

सिञ्चतिsprinkles; pours

इतिthus; ‘…’ (quotative)

कात्यायनःKātyāyana (name)

प्रवव्राजwent forth; departed; became a wanderer

क्रौञ्चःKrauñca (name)

अपसव्यम्to the left; counterclockwise; with the left side (inauspicious direction)

इतिthus; ‘…’

कणिङ्कःKaṇiṅka (name)

भारद्वाजःBhāradvāja (name)

तृणम्grass; straw

इतिthus; ‘…’

दीर्घःDīrgha (name)

चारायणःCārāyaṇa (name)

शीताcold; cool (fem.)

शाटीa shawl/cloth; wrap

इतिthus; ‘…’

घोटमुखःGhoṭamukha (name; ‘horse-faced’)

हस्तीelephant

प्रत्यौक्षीत्sprinkled in return; sprinkled towards (as a response)

इतिthus; ‘…’

किञ्जल्कःKiñjalka (name)

रथाश्वम्chariot and horse(s) (collectively)

प्राशंसीत्praised; commended

इतिthus; ‘…’

पिशुनःPiśuna (name); also ‘informer/spy’

प्रतिरवणेin/at the counter-cry; in the echoing/answering shout

शुनःof a dog

पिशुनपुत्रःson of Piśuna; Piśuna’s son

Entities Mentioned

Kātyāyana

Krauñca

Kaṇiṅka Bhāradvāja

Dīrgha Cārāyaṇa

Ghoṭamukha

Kiñjalka

Piśuna

Śuna (Piśunaputra)

FAQs

Why does Kauṭilya list names with strange phrases here?

To cite remembered precedents: earlier advisers withdrew from service when court conditions (omens, hostile signals, factional noise) indicated danger or loss of influence.

What is the administrative intent behind omens in this passage?

Not superstition for its own sake, but reading “signals” of court climate—when the ruler’s environment becomes unsafe or irrational, a minister must reassess duty versus survival and capacity to correct policy.