Arthashastra — Adhyakshaprachara, Sutra 86

Devanagari script

सैव चन्द्रचित्रा चन्द्रोत्तरा ॥ कZ_०२.११.८६ ॥

Transliteration

saiva candracitrā candrottarā

Translation

(ଚର୍ମର ପ୍ରକାର:) ‘ସୈବ’, ‘ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରଚିତ୍ରା’ (ଚନ୍ଦ୍ର-ନକ୍ଷାଯୁକ୍ତ), ଏବଂ ‘ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରୋତ୍ତରା’ (ଚନ୍ଦ୍ର-ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ)।

Word by Word

• सा: that (female one); she
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: sarvanāma; strīliṅga; prathamā-vibhakti; ekavacana; deictic/anaphoric ‘she/that (one)’

• एव: indeed; just; only
• Type: Particle
• Root: एव
• Form: nipāta/avyaya; emphasis/limitation

• चन्द्रचित्रा: (the nakṣatra) Candracitrā
• Type: Noun (proper name)
• Root: चन्द्र + चित्रा
• Form: strīliṅga; prathamā-vibhakti; ekavacana; nakṣatra-name (lunar mansion)

• चन्द्रोत्तरा: (the nakṣatra) Candrottara
• Type: Noun (proper name)
• Root: चन्द्र + उत्तरा
• Form: strīliṅga; prathamā-vibhakti; ekavacana; nakṣatra-name (lunar mansion)

Entities Mentioned

• state workshop/superintendent context (implied)
• leather (carma)

More Details

FAQs

Why does the Arthashastra list named leather varieties instead of only general terms?

Named varieties function as procurement and inspection standards—reducing ambiguity in buying, pricing, issuing to artisans, and detecting substitution fraud.

What administrative purpose do pattern-based terms like candracitrā serve?

They encode visible inspection criteria (markings/finish), enabling consistent grading across officials and workshops.