Arthashastra — Adhyakshaprachara, Sutra 13

Devanagari script

शासकनिर्यामकदात्र रश्मिग्राहकोत्सेचकाधिष्ठिताश्च महानावो हेमन्तग्रीष्मतार्यासु महानदीषु प्रयोजयेत्क्षुद्रिकाः क्षुद्रिकासु वर्षास्राविणीषु ॥ कZ_०२.२८.१३ ॥

Transliteration

śāsakaniryāmakadātra raśmigrāhakotsecakādhiṣṭhitāśca mahānāvo hemantagrīṣmatāryāsu mahānadīṣu prayojayet kṣudrikāḥ kṣudrikāsu varṣāsrāviṇīṣu

Translation

ଅଧ୍ୟକ୍ଷ, ନିର୍ୟାମକ (ନାଉକାଚାଳକ/ପାଇଲଟ୍), ଦାତ୍ର (ଚପ୍ପୁଚାଳକ), ରଶ୍ମିଗ୍ରାହକ (ଦୋରିଧାରୀ) ଓ ଉତ୍ସେଚକ (ଜଳ ଉଲେଚକ) ନିଯୁକ୍ତ ଥିବା ବଡ଼ ନାଉକାଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ହେମନ୍ତ ଓ ଗ୍ରୀଷ୍ମକାଳରେ ବଡ଼ ନଦୀମାନଙ୍କରେ ଚଳାଇବା ଉଚିତ; ଛୋଟ ନାଉକାଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ଛୋଟ ନଦୀମାନଙ୍କରେ ଏବଂ ବର୍ଷାକାଳରେ ଫୁଲିଉଠୁଥିବା ଝରଣା/ଧାରାମାନଙ୍କରେ।

Word by Word

• शासक: controller/overseer (boat personnel)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• निर्यामक: pilot/guide (boat personnel)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम् (नि-√यम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• दात्र: giver/provider (crew member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दा
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• रश्मिग्राहक: rope-holder / towline handler
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• उत्सेचक: bailer (one who bails out water)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिच् (उद्-√सिच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• अधिष्ठिताः: appointed/placed in charge
• Type: Verb (Participle)
• Root: स्था (अधि-√स्था)
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; ‘अधिष्ठित’ = नियुक्त/अधीनस्थ/अध्यक्षित

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• महानावः: large boats/vessels
• Type: Noun
• Root: नौ
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन

• हेमन्त: in winter season
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेमन्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• ग्रीष्म: in summer season
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रीष्म
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• तार्यासु: at (places) fit for crossing/fording
• Type: Adjective (PPP used as noun)
• Root: तॄ (√तॄ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-बहुवचन; ‘तार्य’ = तर्तव्य/तरने योग्य (fordable/crossable)

• आसु: in those
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-बहुवचन; ‘आसु’ = ‘इन (में)’

• महानदीषु: in great/major rivers
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-बहुवचन

• प्रयोजयेत्: should employ/assign
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (प्र-√युज्)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; ‘वह नियुक्त/लगाए’

• क्षुद्रिकाः: small boats
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुद्रिका
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन

• क्षुद्रिकासु: in/for small (rivers/streams)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुद्रिका
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-बहुवचन

• वर्षास्राविणीषु: in rain-fed/monsoon-flowing (rivers/streams)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्रु (आ-√स्रु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-बहुवचन; ‘वर्षास्राविणी’ = वर्षाकाले प्रवाह/स्राव वाली (rain-fed/monsoon-flowing)

• इति: thus
• Type: Particle
• Root: इति
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्ति-अव्यय

Entities Mentioned

• overseer (śāsaka)
• pilot (niryāmaka)
• rope-handlers
• bailers
• large boats
• small boats
• major rivers
• monsoon streams

More Details

FAQs

What is the administrative insight in specifying crew roles?

It codifies operational accountability and safety functions (steering, securing, dewatering), reducing accidents and improving service reliability.

Why differentiate by season and river size?

To match vessel capacity and risk controls to hydrological conditions—an early form of season-based infrastructure governance.