Arthashastra — Adhyakshaprachara, Sutra 3

Devanagari script

ते षोडश सुवर्णः कर्षो वा ॥ कZ_०२.१९.०३ ॥

Transliteration

te ṣoḍaśa suvarṇaḥ karṣo vā

Translation

ସେ ଷୋଳ ସୁବର୍ଣ୍ଣ (ସୁବର୍ଣ୍ଣ-ମାଷକ) ମିଶି ଗୋଟିଏ କର୍ଷ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• ते: those; they
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (पुं./नपुं.); deictic/anaphoric ‘those/they’

• षोडश: sixteen
• Type: Numeral
• Root: षोडशन्
• Form: संख्यावाचक; अव्ययवत्/अविकारी प्रयोगः; here used as a count ‘sixteen’ (agreeing by sense with सुवर्णाः)

• सुवर्णाः: suvarṇas (gold coins/standard gold units)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; ‘gold pieces/suvarṇas’

• कर्षः: a karṣa (a weight unit)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ष
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम्; a weight-measure ‘karṣa’

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive)

Entities Mentioned

• Pautavādhyakṣa

More Details

FAQs

Why does the state specify conversion ladders (10→1, 16→1, etc.)?

To enable uniform accounting, taxation, minting, and dispute resolution across regions and professions.