Adhyakshaprachara Adhyaya 3 Sutra 4 - Arthashastra | Chinese | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 4

Devanagari script

तस्य परिखास्तिस्रो दण्डान्तराः कारयेत् चतुर्दश द्वादश दशेति दण्डान्विस्तीर्णाः विस्तारादवगाढाः पादोनमर्धं वा त्रिभागमूलाः मूलचतुरश्रा वा पाषाणोपहिताः पाषाणेष्टकाबद्धपार्श्वा वा तोयान्तिकीरागन्तुतोयपूर्णा वा सपरिवाहाः पद्मग्राहवतीश्च ॥ कZ_०२.३.०४ ॥

Transliteration

tasya parikhās tisro daṇḍāntarāḥ kārayet caturdaśa dvādaśa daśeti daṇḍān vistīrṇāḥ vistārād avagāḍhāḥ pādonam ardhaṃ vā tribhāgamūlāḥ mūlacaturaśrā vā pāṣāṇopahitāḥ pāṣāṇeṣṭakābaddhapārśvā vā toyāntikīrāgantutoyapūrṇā vā saparivāhāḥ padmagrāhavatīś ca

Translation

他应修筑三道护城壕，彼此相隔一杖（daṇḍa）；其宽分别为十四、十二、十杖，深度须大于宽度；壕底可按四分之一、二分之一或三分之一的比例向下收窄，并作方形底；可用石料加固，或以石与砖砌衬并束固两侧；以近处水源或引入之水灌满，并设水流循环/泄水，使之险要（如生长莲花并置鳄鱼等）。

Word by Word

तस्यof that (fort/city)

परिखाःmoats/ditches

तिस्रःthree

दण्डान्तराःwith intervals measured in daṇḍas

कारयेत्should cause (them) to be made

चतुर्दशfourteen

द्वादशtwelve

दशten

इतिthus (as follows)

दण्डान्daṇḍas (rod-length units)

विस्तीर्णाःwide/broad (in width)

विस्तारात्from (their) width; relative to the width

अवगाढाःdeep/sunk down (in depth)

पादोनम्a quarter less (i.e., reduced by one pāda)

अर्धम्half

वाor

त्रिभागम्one third

मूलाःhaving (such) a base/bottom

मूलचतुरश्राःsquare at the base

वाor

पाषाणोपहिताःprovided/laid with stones

पाषाणेष्टकाबद्धपार्श्वाःhaving sides fastened with stone and bricks

वाor

तोयान्तिकीःnear water / close to water

आगन्तुto come in; inflowing

तोयपूर्णाःfilled with water

वाor

सपरिवाहाःwith circulation/flow (of water)

पद्मग्राहवतीःhaving lotuses and crocodiles

चand

Entities Mentioned

parikhā (moats)

daṇḍa (measure)

stone/brick linings

water supply/flow

crocodiles (grāha)

FAQs

What is the administrative logic behind precise moat dimensions?

Standard measures enable budgeting, labor estimation, inspection, and uniform defensive performance across forts—turning defense works into auditable public projects.