Adhyakshaprachara Adhyaya 28 Sutra 21 - Arthashastra | Sanskrit | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 21

Devanagari script

क्षुद्रपशुर्मनुष्यश्च सभारो माषकं दद्यात् शिरोभारः कायभारो गवाश्वं च द्वौ उष्ट्रमहिषं चतुरः पञ्च लभुयानं षड्गोलिङ्गं सप्त शकटम् पन्यभारः पादम् ॥ कZ_०२.२८.२१ ॥

Transliteration

kṣudrapaśur manuṣyaś ca sabhāro māṣakaṃ dadyāt śirobhāraḥ kāyabhāro gavāśvaṃ ca dvau uṣṭramahiṣaṃ caturaḥ pañca labhuyānaṃ ṣaḍ goliṅgaṃ sapta śakaṭam paṇyabhāraḥ pādam

Translation

क्षुद्रपशुः मनुष्यश्च सभारः माषकं दद्यात्। शिरोभारः कायभारः गवाश्वं च द्वौ। उष्ट्रमहिषं चतुरः। पञ्च (महत्तरः)। लघुयानं षट्। गोलिङ्गं सप्त। शकटं (यथोक्तम्)। पण्यभारः पादम्।

Word by Word

क्षुद्रपशुःa small animal (minor livestock)

मनुष्यःa man/person

चand

सभारःcarrying a load / laden

माषकम्a māṣaka (coin/weight unit)

दद्यात्should give/pay

शिरोभारःhead-load (load carried on the head)

कायभारःbody-load (load carried on the body/back)

गवाश्वम्cattle-and-horse (as a pair/class)

चand

द्वौtwo

उष्ट्रमहिषम्camel-and-buffalo (as a pair/class)

चतुरःfour

पञ्चfive

लघुयानम्a light vehicle/cart

षट्six

गोलिङ्गम्go-liṅga (a technical category/mark relating to cattle)

सप्तseven

शकटम्a cart/wagon

पन्यभारःload of merchandise/trade-goods

पादम्a quarter (one-fourth share)

Entities Mentioned

travellers

merchants/caravans

animals and vehicles

FAQs

What administrative idea does this tariff list illustrate?

A standardized, category-based user-fee schedule to reduce discretion, leakage, and disputes.