Sutra 13

Devanagari script

स्नापकसंवाहकास्तरकरजकमालाकारकर्म दास्यः प्रसिद्धशौचाः कुर्युः ताभिरधिष्ठिता वा शिल्पिनः ॥ कZ_०१.२१.१३ ॥

Transliteration

snāpakasaṃvāhakāstarakarajakamālākārakarma dāsyaḥ prasiddhaśaucāḥ kuryuḥ tābhir adhiṣṭhitā vā śilpinaḥ ।

Translation

स्नापकसंवाहकास्तरकरजकमालाकारकर्म दास्यः प्रसिद्धशौचाः कुर्युः; ताभिरधिष्ठिता वा शिल्पिनः (एतानि कर्माणि) कुर्युः।

Word by Word

• स्नापक: bath attendant
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्ना
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (समूह-निर्देशः)

• संवाहकाः: masseurs, attendants who rub/massage
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्+वह्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

• तरक: swimmers / ferrying attendants
• Type: Noun
• Root: तॄ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

• रजक: washermen
• Type: Noun
• Root: रञ्ज्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

• मालाकार: garland-makers
• Type: Noun
• Root: माला+कृ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

• कर्मदास्यः: female slaves employed for service/work
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्+दासी
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; दासी-शब्दः

• प्रसिद्धशौचाः: of established cleanliness (reputedly clean)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसिद्ध+शौच
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (एतेषां सेवकानाम्)

• कुर्युः: should do / should perform
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन

• ताभिः: by them (by those women)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन

• अधिष्ठिताः: supervised / placed under charge
• Type: Participle
• Root: अधि+स्था
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; कर्मणि/भावे—‘supervised/placed in charge’

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपातः

• शिल्पिनः: artisans / craftsmen
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिल्पिन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

Entities Mentioned

• female servants (dāsī)
• artisans (śilpin)
• bathing attendants
• masseurs
• washermen
• garland-makers

More Details

FAQs

What governance principle is emphasized in staffing here?

Risk-based role assignment: high-proximity roles require vetted personnel; if outsiders are necessary, they operate under trusted supervision.

Why mention ‘known for cleanliness’?

Cleanliness functions as a proxy for discipline, reliability, and reduced likelihood of covert contamination or concealment.