Adhyakshaprachara Adhyaya 24 Sutra 22 - Arthashastra | Japanese | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 22

Devanagari script

फेनाघातो वल्लीफलानाम् परीवाहान्ताः पिप्पलीमृद्वीकेक्षूणां कूपपर्यन्ताः शाकमूलानाम् हरणीपर्यन्ता हरितकानाम् पाल्यो लवानां गन्धभैषज्योशीरह्रीबेरपिण्डालुकादीनाम् ॥ कZ_०२.२४.२२ ॥

Transliteration

phenāghāto vallīphalānām parīvāhāntāḥ pippalīmṛdvīkekṣūṇāṃ kūpaparyantāḥ śākamūlānām haraṇīparyantā haritakānām pālyo lavānāṃ gandhabhaiṣajyośīrahrīberapiṇḍālukādīnām

Translation

蔓性果実は泡の痕（＝水位線の標）まで、長胡椒・葡萄・甘蔗は灌漑水路の末端まで、葉菜と根菜は汲水装置の末端まで、ハリタキー（myrobalan）は維持された堤まで、また塩田および uśīra・hrībera・piṇḍāluka などの芳香・薬用植物についても同様に—それぞれ定められた耕作境界/限度がある。

Word by Word

फेनाघातःthe measure/limit called ‘foam-stroke’ (a standard for allowable taking)

वल्लीफलानाम्of creeper-fruits

परीवाह-अन्ताःhaving the limit up to the ‘parīvāha’ boundary

पिप्पली-मृद्वीका-इक्षूणाम्of long pepper, grapes/raisins, and sugarcane

कूप-पर्यन्ताःhaving the limit up to the well (kūpa) boundary

शाक-मूलानाम्of vegetable-roots

हरणी-पर्यन्ताःhaving the limit up to the ‘haraṇī’ boundary

हरितकानाम्of harītaka (chebulic myrobalan)

पाल्यःto be maintained/observed (as the prescribed limit)

लवानाम्of ‘lavas’ (a unit/portion measure)

गन्ध-भैषज्य-उशीर-ह्रीबेर-पिण्डालुक-आदीनाम्of perfumes, medicines, vetiver (uśīra), hṛībera, pīṇḍāluka, and similar items

Entities Mentioned

pippalī

mṛdvīkā

ikṣu

śāka

harītakī

lava (salt)

uśīra

hrībera

piṇḍāluka

FAQs

What is the administrative purpose of listing different boundary markers for different crops?

To standardize enforceable cultivation limits tied to water infrastructure (channels, wells, lifting devices, embankments), reducing disputes and enabling planned allocation of irrigated land.

How does this verse reflect Kautilya’s approach to agricultural governance?

It treats farming as an administrable system: crop choice and placement are linked to measurable infrastructure-based boundaries, enabling supervision and accountability.