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Arthashastra

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दैव पीडनं अग्निर् उदकं व्याधिर् दुर्भिक्षं मरक इति ॥

PROVIDENTIAL calamities are fire, floods, pestilence, famine, and (the epidemic disease called) maraka.

english translation

"अग्न्य् उदकयोर् अग्नि पीडनम् अप्रतिकार्यं सर्व दाहि च, शक्य अपगमनं तार्य आबाधम् उदक पीडनम्" इत्य् आचार्याः ॥

My teacher says that of fire and floods, destruction due to fire is irremediable; all kinds of troubles, except those due to fire, can be alleviated, and troubles due to floods can be passed over.

english translation

न इत् कौटिल्यः ॥

No, says Kautilya.

english translation

अग्निर् ग्रामम् अर्ध ग्रामं वा दहति, उदक वेगस् तु ग्राम शत प्रवाही इति ॥

fire destroys a village, or part of a village whereas floods carry off hundreds of villages.

english translation

"व्याधि दुर्भिक्षयोर् व्याधिः प्रेत व्याधित उपसृष्ट परिचारक व्यायाम उपरोधेन कर्माण्य् उपहन्ति, दुर्भिक्षं पुनर् अकर्म उपघाति हिरण्य पशु कर दायि च" इत्य् आचार्याः ॥

My teacher says that of pestilence and famine, pestilence brings all kinds of business to a stop by causing obstruction to work on account of disease and death among men and owing to the flight of servants, whereas famine stops no work, but is productive of gold, cattle and taxes.

english translation