Arthashastra
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वारि पथे तु कूल सम्यान पथयोः कूल पथः पण्य पत्तन बाहुल्यात् श्रेयान्, नदी पथो वा, सातत्याद् विषह्य आबाधत्वाच् च ॥
Of water-routes, one along the shore and another in mid-ocean, the route along, and close to the shore is better, as it touches at many trading port-towns.
english translation
vAri pathe tu kUla samyAna pathayoH kUla pathaH paNya pattana bAhulyAt zreyAn, nadI patho vA, sAtatyAd viSahya AbAdhatvAc ca ॥
hk transliteration by Sanscriptस्थल पथे अपि "हैमवतो दक्षिणा पथात् श्रेयान्, हस्त्य् अश्व गन्ध दन्त अजिन रूप्य सुवर्ण पण्याः सारवत्तराः" इत्य् आचार्याः" ॥
likewise river navigation is better, as it is uninterrupted and is of avoidable or endurable dangers. My teacher says that of land-routes, that which leads to the Himalayas is better than that which leads to the south.
english translation
sthala pathe api "haimavato dakSiNA pathAt zreyAn, hasty azva gandha danta ajina rUpya suvarNa paNyAH sAravattarAH" ity AcAryAH" ॥
hk transliteration by Sanscriptन इति कौटिल्यः ॥
Not so, says Kautilya.
english translation
na iti kauTilyaH ॥
hk transliteration by Sanscriptकम्बल अजिन अश्व पण्य वर्जाः शङ्ख वज्र मणि मुक्ता सुवर्ण पण्याश् च प्रभूततरा दक्षिणा पथे ॥
for with the exception of blankets, skins, and horses, other articles of merchandise such as, conch-shells, diamonds, precious stones, pearls and gold are available in plenty in the south.
english translation
kambala ajina azva paNya varjAH zaGkha vajra maNi muktA suvarNa paNyAz ca prabhUtatarA dakSiNA pathe ॥
hk transliteration by Sanscriptदक्षिणा पथे अपि बहु खनिः सार पण्यः प्रसिद्ध गतिर् अल्प व्यय व्यायामो वा वणिक् पथः श्रेयान्, प्रभूत विषयो वा फल्गु पुण्यः ॥
Of routes leading to the south, either that trade-route which traverses a large number of mines which is frequented by people, and which is less expensive or troublesome, or that route by taking which plenty of merchandise of various kinds can be obtained is better.
english translation
dakSiNA pathe api bahu khaniH sAra paNyaH prasiddha gatir alpa vyaya vyAyAmo vA vaNik pathaH zreyAn, prabhUta viSayo vA phalgu puNyaH ॥
hk transliteration by Sanscript