Arthashastra
मध्ये च अन्ते च स्थानवान् आत्म धारणः पर धारणश् च आपदि स्व आरक्षः स्व आजीवः शत्रु द्वेषी शक्य सामन्तः पङ्क पाषाण उषर विषम कण्टक श्रेणी व्याल मृग अटवी हीनः कान्तः सीता खनि द्रव्य हस्ति वनवान् गव्यः पौरुषेयो गुप्त गोचरः पशुमान् अदेव मातृको वारि स्थल पथाभ्याम् उपेतः सार चित्र बहु पण्यो दण्ड कर सहः कर्म शील कर्षको अबालिश स्वाम्य् अवर वर्ण प्रायो भक्त शुचि मनुष्य इति जन पद सम्पत् ॥
Possessed of capital cities both in the centre and the extremities of the kingdom, productive of subsistence not only to its own people, but also to outsiders on occasions of calamities, repulsive to enemies, powerful enough to put down neighbouring kings, free from miry, rocky, uneven, and desert tracts as well as from conspirators, tigers, wild beasts, and large tracts of wilderness, beautiful to look at, containing fertile lands, mines, timber and elephant forests, and pasture grounds, artistic, containing hidden passages, full of cattle, not depending upon rain for water, possessed of land and waterways, rich in various kinds of commercial articles, capable of bearing the burden of a vast army and heavy taxation, inhabited by agriculturists of good and active character, full of intelligent masters and servants, and with a population noted for its loyalty and good character;--these are the qualities of a good country.
english translation
madhye ca ante ca sthAnavAn Atma dhAraNaH para dhAraNaz ca Apadi sva ArakSaH sva AjIvaH zatru dveSI zakya sAmantaH paGka pASANa uSara viSama kaNTaka zreNI vyAla mRga aTavI hInaH kAntaH sItA khani dravya hasti vanavAn gavyaH pauruSeyo gupta gocaraH pazumAn adeva mAtRko vAri sthala pathAbhyAm upetaH sAra citra bahu paNyo daNDa kara sahaH karma zIla karSako abAliza svAmy avara varNa prAyo bhakta zuci manuSya iti jana pada sampat ॥
hk transliteration by Sanscriptमध्ये च अन्ते च स्थानवान् आत्म धारणः पर धारणश् च आपदि स्व आरक्षः स्व आजीवः शत्रु द्वेषी शक्य सामन्तः पङ्क पाषाण उषर विषम कण्टक श्रेणी व्याल मृग अटवी हीनः कान्तः सीता खनि द्रव्य हस्ति वनवान् गव्यः पौरुषेयो गुप्त गोचरः पशुमान् अदेव मातृको वारि स्थल पथाभ्याम् उपेतः सार चित्र बहु पण्यो दण्ड कर सहः कर्म शील कर्षको अबालिश स्वाम्य् अवर वर्ण प्रायो भक्त शुचि मनुष्य इति जन पद सम्पत् ॥
Possessed of capital cities both in the centre and the extremities of the kingdom, productive of subsistence not only to its own people, but also to outsiders on occasions of calamities, repulsive to enemies, powerful enough to put down neighbouring kings, free from miry, rocky, uneven, and desert tracts as well as from conspirators, tigers, wild beasts, and large tracts of wilderness, beautiful to look at, containing fertile lands, mines, timber and elephant forests, and pasture grounds, artistic, containing hidden passages, full of cattle, not depending upon rain for water, possessed of land and waterways, rich in various kinds of commercial articles, capable of bearing the burden of a vast army and heavy taxation, inhabited by agriculturists of good and active character, full of intelligent masters and servants, and with a population noted for its loyalty and good character;--these are the qualities of a good country.
english translation
madhye ca ante ca sthAnavAn Atma dhAraNaH para dhAraNaz ca Apadi sva ArakSaH sva AjIvaH zatru dveSI zakya sAmantaH paGka pASANa uSara viSama kaNTaka zreNI vyAla mRga aTavI hInaH kAntaH sItA khani dravya hasti vanavAn gavyaH pauruSeyo gupta gocaraH pazumAn adeva mAtRko vAri sthala pathAbhyAm upetaH sAra citra bahu paNyo daNDa kara sahaH karma zIla karSako abAliza svAmy avara varNa prAyo bhakta zuci manuSya iti jana pada sampat ॥
hk transliteration by Sanscript