Arthashastra — Adhyakshaprachara, Sutra 12

Devanagari script

धान्यस्नेहक्षारलवणानां धान्यकल्पं सीताध्यक्षे वक्ष्यामः ॥ कZ_०२.१५.१२ ॥

Transliteration

dhānya-sneha-kṣāra-lavaṇānāṃ dhānya-kalpaṃ sītādhyakṣe vakṣyāmaḥ.

Translation

ധാന്യം, എണ്ണ/സ്നേഹം, ക്ഷാര ഉൽപ്പന്നങ്ങൾ, ഉപ്പ്—ഇവയുടെ ‘ധാന്യ-കൽപ’ (ധാന്യ മാതൃകയിലെ നടപടിക്രമങ്ങൾ) ‘സീതാധ്യക്ഷ’ (കൃഷി മേൽനോട്ടാധികാരി) എന്ന വിഭാഗത്തിൽ വിശദീകരിക്കും.

Word by Word

• धान्यस्नेहक्षारलवणानाम्: of grains, fats/oils, alkalis, and salts
• Type: Noun
• Root: धान्य, स्नेह, क्षार, लवण
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्वसमासस्य सामान्यप्रवृत्तिः); ‘धान्य-स्नेह-क्षार-लवण’ इति समाहारद्वन्द्वः, तस्य षष्ठी बहुवचनम्

• धान्यकल्पम्: the regulations/procedure concerning grains (the ‘grain section’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग; ‘धान्यस्य कल्पः’ = धान्यकल्पः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष), कर्मपदम्

• सीताध्यक्षे: in the chapter/office of the Superintendent of Agriculture (Sītādhyakṣa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्यक्ष
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग; ‘सीतायाः अध्यक्षः’ = सीताध्यक्षः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष), अधिकरणपदम्

• वक्ष्यामः: we shall explain
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्कालः), परस्मैपदम्; उत्तमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्; धातुः वच् (उदात्तार्थे ‘वदने’), रूपम्: वक्ष्यामः = ‘we shall explain/say’

Entities Mentioned

• Sītādhyakṣa (Superintendent of Agriculture)

More Details

FAQs

Why refer these commodities to the Sītādhyakṣa section?

Because their production and primary control are tied to agriculture and state-managed cultivation/supply chains, so rules are centralized there.

What does ‘dhānya-kalpa’ imply administratively?

A template approach: apply the same accounting/handling logic used for grain to related staples (oils, salts, alkaline products).