Arthashastra — Adhyakshaprachara, Sutra 59

Devanagari script

शेषाणामतो मृगपशुपक्षिव्यालानामेकभक्तादनुमानं ग्राहयेत् ॥ कZ_०२.१५.५९ ॥

Transliteration

śeṣāṇām ato mṛga-paśu-pakṣi-vyālānām eka-bhaktād anumānaṃ grāhayet

Translation

Для остальных животных — дичи, домашнего скота, птиц и зверей — он должен определить (паёк) по оценке, принимая за основу «порцию одного приёма пищи».

Word by Word

• शेषाणाम्: of the remaining (ones)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचनम् (Genitive plural), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (contextual)

• अतः: therefore; from this (fact)
• Type: Particle
• Root: अतः
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/तस्मात्-अर्थे

• मृग: deer / wild game animal
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग
• Form: समासाङ्ग; मूलरूपम् (stem)

• पशु: beast; (often) domestic animal
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु
• Form: समासाङ्ग; मूलरूपम् (stem)

• पक्षि: bird
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन्
• Form: समासाङ्ग; प्रातिपदिकम् (stem)

• व्यालानाम्: of wild/ferocious animals (predators)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याल
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचनम् (Genitive plural), पुंलिङ्ग

• एकभक्तात्: from (the fact of) a single meal / one feeding
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: एकभक्त
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनम् (Ablative singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (usage as a measure/condition)

• अनुमानम्: inference; estimation
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुमान
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Accusative singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• ग्राहयेत्: should cause (them) to ascertain/accept; should have (it) determined
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (गृह्णाति)
• Form: कारण (णिच्) causative; विधिलिङ्/लोट्-आदेशरूपम्: 3rd person singular, परस्मैपदम्; ‘cause to take/accept’

Entities Mentioned

• wild animals
• livestock
• birds
• predatory animals
• storehouse officials

More Details

FAQs

Why allow estimation instead of fixed measures for all cases?

Because consumption varies widely across species; a baseline (‘one meal’) plus supervised estimation balances practicality with control.

How does this reduce corruption?

By anchoring discretion to a declared baseline, making deviations explainable and reviewable.