Sutra 23

Devanagari script

अष्टमे ऋत्विगाचार्यपुरोहितस्वस्त्ययनानि प्रतिगृह्णीयात् चिकित्सकमाहानसिकमौहूर्तिकांश्च पश्येत् ॥ कZ_०१.१९.२३ ॥

Transliteration

aṣṭame ṛtvigācāryapurohitasvastyayanāni pratigṛhṇīyāt cikitsakam āhānasikam auhūrtikāṃś ca paśyet

Translation

രാത്രിയുടെ എട്ടാം പ്രഹരത്തിൽ അദ്ദേഹം ഋത്വിക്കുകൾ, ആചാര്യർ, പുരോഹിതൻ എന്നിവരിൽ നിന്ന് മംഗളാശീർവാദങ്ങൾ സ്വീകരിക്കണം; കൂടാതെ വൈദ്യൻ, അടുക്കളാധ്യക്ഷൻ, മുഹൂർത്തജ്ഞർ എന്നിവരെയും കാണണം.

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.