Arthashastra

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वास्तुक प्रशस्ते देशे सप्राकार परिखा द्वारम् अनेक कक्ष्या परिगतम् अन्तःपुरं कारयेत् ॥

ON a site naturally best fitted for the purpose, the king shall construct his harem consisting of many compartments, one within the other, enclosed by a parapet and a ditch, and provided with a door.

english translation

vAstuka prazaste deze saprAkAra parikhA dvAram aneka kakSyA parigatam antaHpuraM kArayet ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

कोशगृह विधानेन मध्ये वास गृहम्, गूढ भित्ति संचारं मोहन गृहं तन् मध्ये वा वास गृहम्, भूमि गृहं वा आसन्न चैत्य काष्ठ देवता अपिधान द्वारम् अनेक सुरुङ्गा संचारं तस्य उपरि प्रासादं गूढ भित्ति सोपानं सुषिर स्तम्भ प्रवेश अपसारं वा वास गृहं यन्त्र बद्ध तल अवपातं कारयेत्, आपत् प्रतीकार अर्थम् आपदि वा ॥

He shall construct his own residential palace after the model of his treasury-house; or he may have his residential abode in the centre of the delusive chamber (móhanagriha), provided with secret passages made into the walls; or in an underground chamber provided with the figures of goddesses and of altars (chaitya) carved on the wooden door-frame, and connected with many underground passages for exit; or in an upper storey provided with a staircase hidden in a wall, with a passage for exit made in a hollow pillar, the whole building being so constructed with mechanical contrivance as to be caused to fall down when necessary.

english translation

kozagRha vidhAnena madhye vAsa gRham, gUDha bhitti saMcAraM mohana gRhaM tan madhye vA vAsa gRham, bhUmi gRhaM vA Asanna caitya kASTha devatA apidhAna dvAram aneka suruGgA saMcAraM tasya upari prAsAdaM gUDha bhitti sopAnaM suSira stambha praveza apasAraM vA vAsa gRhaM yantra baddha tala avapAtaM kArayet, Apat pratIkAra artham Apadi vA ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

अतो अन्यथा वा विकल्पयेत्, सह अध्यायि भयात् ॥

Or considering the danger from his own classmates (sahádhyáyi), such contrivances as the above, mainly intended as safeguards against danger, may be made on occasions of danger or otherwise as he deems fit.

english translation

ato anyathA vA vikalpayet, saha adhyAyi bhayAt ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

मानुषेण अग्निना त्रिर् अपसव्यं परिगतम् अन्तःपुरम् अग्निर् अन्यो न दहति, न च अत्र अन्यो अग्निर् ज्वलति, वैद्युतेन भस्मना मृत् सम्युक्तेन करक वारिणा अवलिप्तं च ॥

No other kind of fire can burn that harem which is thrice circumambulated from right to left by a fire of human make (manushénágnina); nor can there be kindled any other fire. Nor can fire destroy that harem the walls of which are made of mud mixed with ashes produced by lightning, and wetted in hail-water (karaka-vári).

english translation

mAnuSeNa agninA trir apasavyaM parigatam antaHpuram agnir anyo na dahati, na ca atra anyo agnir jvalati, vaidyutena bhasmanA mRt samyuktena karaka vAriNA avaliptaM ca ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

जीवन्ती श्वेता मुष्कक पुष्प वन्दाकाभिर् अक्षीवे जातस्य अश्वत्थस्य प्रतानेन गुप्तं सर्पा विषाणि वा न प्रभवन्ति ॥

Poisonous snakes will not dare to enter into such buildings as are provided with Jívanti (Fæderia Fœtida), svéta (Aconitum Ferox), mushkakapushpa (?), and vandáka (Epidendrum Tesselatum), and as are protected by the branches of péjáta (?) and of asvattha (Ficus Religiosa).

english translation

jIvantI zvetA muSkaka puSpa vandAkAbhir akSIve jAtasya azvatthasya pratAnena guptaM sarpA viSANi vA na prabhavanti ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript