Arthashastra — Adhyakshaprachara, Sutra 38
Devanagari script
प्रावृत्तिकश्च प्रतिलेख एव सर्वत्रगश्चेति हि शासनानि ॥ कZ_०२.१०.३८च्द् ॥
Transliteration
prāvṛttikaś ca pratilekha eva sarvatragaś ceti hi śāsanāni
Translation
行政命令（śāsana）有三类：（i）prāvṛttika（启动/促使某项行动），（ii）pratilekha（书面反命令或书面函告），以及（iii）sarvatraga（普遍适用、处处有效的通令）。
Word by Word
प्रावृत्तिकःan instruction relating to initiating/setting an activity in motion (directive of execution)
प्रावृत्तिकः:
TypeNoun (adjective used substantively)
Rootप्रवृत्ति (pra-vṛtti)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; गुणवाचक-विशेषण (प्रावृत्तिक = प्रवृत्तिसम्बन्धी/प्रवृत्तिविषयक)
चand
च:
TypeParticle
Rootच
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय
प्रतिलेखःa written order/document; a written communication (letter/record)
प्रतिलेखः:
TypeNoun
Rootलिख् (√likh)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; ‘प्रति-’ उपसर्गपूर्वक; पत्र/लेख-विशेषः
एवindeed/only/precisely
एव:
TypeParticle
Rootएव
Formअवधारणार्थक-अव्यय
सर्वत्रगःa universally applicable (everywhere-reaching) instruction/order
सर्वत्रगः:
TypeNoun (adjective used substantively)
Rootसर्वत्र + ग (from √गम् gam)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; सर्वत्र गच्छति इति (सर्वत्रव्यापी/सर्वत्र-प्रवर्तक)
चand
च:
TypeParticle
Rootच
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय
इतिthus/‘so’ (quotative marker)
इति:
TypeParticle/Quotative
Rootइति
Formइत्यर्थे अव्ययम्; उक्तिसमाप्ति/निर्देशार्थक
हिindeed/for (emphatic particle)
हि:
TypeParticle
Rootहि
Formनिपात; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ/स्मरणार्थ (contextual)
शासनानिorders/instructions/commands
शासनानि:
TypeNoun
Rootशास् (√śās)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन; ‘शासन’ = आदेश/नियम/निर्देश
Entities Mentioned
Ś
śāsana (royal order)FAQs
It standardizes executive communication: initiating orders trigger action, pratilekhas document responses/corrections, and sarvatraga orders create uniform rules across territories.