Sutra 2

Devanagari script

मध्यमस्योत्तरे नवभागे राजवास्तुकं धनुःशतायाममर्धविस्तारम् पश्चिमार्धे तस्यान्तःपुरम् ॥ कZ_१०.१.०२ ॥

Transliteration

madhyamasyottare navabhāge rājavāstukaṃ dhanuḥśatāyāmam ardhavistāram paścimārdhe tasyāntaḥpuram

Translation

ಮಧ್ಯ ವಿಭಾಗದ ಉತ್ತರ ಭಾಗದ ಒಂಬತ್ತನೇ ವಿಭಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ ರಾಜವಾಸ್ತುಕವನ್ನು ವಿನ್ಯಾಸಗೊಳಿಸಬೇಕು—ಉದ್ದ ನೂರು ಧನುಸುಗಳು, ಅಗಲ ಅದರ ಅರ್ಧ; ಅದರ ಪಶ್ಚಿಮಾರ್ಧದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಂತಃಪುರ ಇರುತ್ತದೆ.

Word by Word

मध्यमस्यof the middle (section)

उत्तरेin the northern (part)

नवभागेin the nine-part division / in the ninth-part allotment

राजवास्तुकम्the royal building-site / royal precinct

धनुःशतa hundred dhanus (as a measure)

आयामम्length (extent)

अर्धविस्तारम्half-breadth (half the width)

पश्चिमार्धेin the western half

तस्यof that (i.e., of it)

अन्तःपुरम्the inner palace / women’s quarters

Entities Mentioned

rājavāstuka

antaḥpura

FAQs

Why does Kautilya specify exact measurements and placement for the royal precinct?

To enforce uniform security geometry (controlled approaches, predictable perimeters) and to integrate the palace into the broader defensive grid.