Sutra 4

Devanagari script

तस्य परिखास्तिस्रो दण्डान्तराः कारयेत् चतुर्दश द्वादश दशेति दण्डान्विस्तीर्णाः विस्तारादवगाढाः पादोनमर्धं वा त्रिभागमूलाः मूलचतुरश्रा वा पाषाणोपहिताः पाषाणेष्टकाबद्धपार्श्वा वा तोयान्तिकीरागन्तुतोयपूर्णा वा सपरिवाहाः पद्मग्राहवतीश्च ॥ कZ_०२.३.०४ ॥

Transliteration

tasya parikhās tisro daṇḍāntarāḥ kārayet caturdaśa dvādaśa daśeti daṇḍān vistīrṇāḥ vistārād avagāḍhāḥ pādonam ardhaṃ vā tribhāgamūlāḥ mūlacaturaśrā vā pāṣāṇopahitāḥ pāṣāṇeṣṭakābaddhapārśvā vā toyāntikīrāgantutoyapūrṇā vā saparivāhāḥ padmagrāhavatīś ca

Translation

Dia hendaklah membina tiga parit, dipisahkan oleh sela satu daṇḍa, dengan lebar 14, 12 dan 10 daṇḍa, serta kedalaman melebihi lebarnya; bahagian dasar menirus sebanyak suku, separuh atau sepertiga, dengan dasar berbentuk segi empat; diperkukuh dengan batu, atau sisi-sisinya dilapik/diikat dengan batu dan bata; diisi air dari sumber berdekatan atau daripada aliran yang dibekalkan, dengan peredaran/pelepasan air, dan dijadikan berbahaya (misalnya dengan teratai dan buaya).

Word by Word

तस्यof that (fort/city)

परिखाःmoats/ditches

तिस्रःthree

दण्डान्तराःwith intervals measured in daṇḍas

कारयेत्should cause (them) to be made

चतुर्दशfourteen

द्वादशtwelve

दशten

इतिthus (as follows)

दण्डान्daṇḍas (rod-length units)

विस्तीर्णाःwide/broad (in width)

विस्तारात्from (their) width; relative to the width

अवगाढाःdeep/sunk down (in depth)

पादोनम्a quarter less (i.e., reduced by one pāda)

अर्धम्half

वाor

त्रिभागम्one third

मूलाःhaving (such) a base/bottom

मूलचतुरश्राःsquare at the base

वाor

पाषाणोपहिताःprovided/laid with stones

पाषाणेष्टकाबद्धपार्श्वाःhaving sides fastened with stone and bricks

वाor

तोयान्तिकीःnear water / close to water

आगन्तुto come in; inflowing

तोयपूर्णाःfilled with water

वाor

सपरिवाहाःwith circulation/flow (of water)

पद्मग्राहवतीःhaving lotuses and crocodiles

चand

Entities Mentioned

parikhā (moats)

daṇḍa (measure)

stone/brick linings

water supply/flow

crocodiles (grāha)

FAQs

What is the administrative logic behind precise moat dimensions?

Standard measures enable budgeting, labor estimation, inspection, and uniform defensive performance across forts—turning defense works into auditable public projects.