Kautilya's Arthashastra 2.28: Chapter 28 (Section 45): The Controller of Shipping

2.28.1

nāvadhyakṣaḥ samudrasamyānanadīmukhatarapracārān devasarovisaronadītarāṃś ca sthānīyādiṣv avekṣeta //

THE Superintendent of Ships shall examine the accounts relating to navigation not only on oceans and mouths of rivers, but also on lakes natural or artificial, and rivers in the vicinity of stháníya and other fortified cities.

2.28.2

tadvelākūlagrāmāḥ klṛptaṃ dadyuḥ //

Villages on seashores or on the banks of rivers and lakes shall pay a fixed amount of tax (kliptam).

2.28.3

matsyabandhakā naukābhāṭakaṃ ṣaḍbhāgaṃ dadyuḥ //

Fishermen shall give 1/6th of their haul as fees for fishing license (naukáhátakam).

2.28.4

pattanānuvṛttaṃ śulkabhāgaṃ vaṇijo dadyuḥ, yātrāvetanaṃ rājanaubhiḥ sampatantaḥ //

Merchants shall pay the customary toll levied in port-towns.

Passengers arriving on board the king's ship shall pay the requisite amount of sailing fees (yátrávetanam).

2.28.5

śaṅkhamuktāgrāhiṇo naubhāṭakaṃ dadyuḥ, svanaubhir vā tareyuḥ //

Those (who make use of the king’s boats in) fishing out conch-shells and pearls shall pay the requisite amount of hire (Naukáhátakam), or they may make use of their own boats.

2.28.6

adhyakṣaś caiṣāṃ khanyadhyakṣeṇa vyākhyātaḥ //

The duties of the superintendent of mines will explain those of the superintendent of conch-shells and pearls.

2.28.7

pattanādhyakṣanibaddhaṃ paṇyapattanacāritraṃ nāvadhyakṣaḥ pālayet //

The superintendent of ships shall strictly observe the customs prevalent in commercial towns as well as the orders of the superintendent of towns (pattana, port town).

2.28.8

mūḍhavātāhatā nāvaḥ pitevānugṛhṇīyāt //

Whenever a weatherbeaten ship arrives at a port-town, he shall show fatherly kindness to it.

2.28.9

udakaprāptaṃ paṇyam aśulkam ardhaśulkaṃ vā kuryāt //

Vessels carrying on merchandise spoiled by water may either be exempted from toll or may have their toll reduced to half and let to sail when the time for setting sail approaches.

2.28.10

yathānirdiṣṭāś caitāḥ paṇyapattanayātrākāleṣu preṣayet //

2.28.11

samyātīr nāvaḥ kṣetrānugatāḥ śulkaṃ yācet //

Ships that touch at harbours on their way may be requested the payment of toll.

2.28.12

hiṃsrikā nirghātayet, amitraviṣayātigāḥ paṇyapattanacāritropaghātikāś ca //

Pirate ships (himsríká), vessels which are bound for the country of an enemy, as well as those which have violated the customs and rules in force in port towns shall be destroyed.

2.28.13

śāsakaniryāmakadātra..raśmigrāhakotsecakādhiṣṭhitāś ca mahānāvo hemantagrīṣmatāryāsu mahānadīṣu prayojayet, kṣudrikāḥ kṣudrikāsu varṣāsrāviṇīṣu //

In those large rivers which cannot be forded even during the winter and summer seasons, there shall be launched large boats (mahánávah) provided with a captain (sásaka), a steersman (niyámaka), and servants to hold the sickle and the ropes and to pour out water.

Small boats shall be launched in those small rivers which overflow during the rainy season.

2.28.14

bādhatīrthāś caitāḥ kāryā rājadviṣṭakāriṇāṃ taraṇabhayāt //

Fording or crossing the rivers (without permission) shall be prohibited lest traitors may cross them (and escape).

2.28.15

akāle 'tīrthe ca tarataḥ pūrvaḥ sāhasadaṇḍaḥ //

When a person fords or crosses a river outside the proper place and in unusual times, he shall be punished with the first amercement.

2.28.16

kāle tīrthe cāniṣṛṣṭatāriṇaḥ pādonasaptaviṃśatipaṇas tarātyayaḥ //

When a man fords or crosses a river at the usual place and time without permission, he shall be fined 26¾ panas.

2.28.17

kaivartakāṣṭatṛṇabhārapuṣpaphalavāṭaṣaṇḍa.gopālakānām anatyayaḥ, sambhāvyadūtānupātināṃ ca senābhāṇḍaprayogāṇāṃ ca svataraṇais taratām, bījabhaktadravyopaskarāṃś cānūpagrāmāṇāṃ tārayatām //

Fishermen, carriers of firewood, grass, flowers, and fruits, gardeners, vegetable-dealers, and herdsmen, persons pursuing suspected criminals, messengers following other messengers going in advance, servants engaged to carry things, provisions, and orders to the army, those who use their own ferries, as well as those who supply villages of marshy districts with seeds, necessaries of life, commodities and other accessary things shall be exempted (to cross rivers at any time and place).

2.28.18

brāhmaṇapravrajitabālavṛddhavyādhitaśāsanaharagarbhiṇyo nāvadhyakṣamudrābhis tareyuḥ //

Bráhmans, ascetics (pravrajita), children, the aged, the afflicted, royal messengers, and pregnant women shall be provided by the superintendent with free passes to cross rivers.

2.28.19

kṛtapraveśāḥ pāraviṣayikāḥ sārthapramāṇā vā praviśeyuḥ //

Foreign merchants who have often been visiting the country as well as those who are well known to local merchants shall be allowed to land in port-towns.

2.28.20

parasya bhāryāṃ kanyāṃ vittaṃ vāpaharantaṃ śavittaṃ vāpaharantaṃ śaṅkitam āvignam udbhāṇḍīkṛtaṃ mahābhāṇḍena mūrdhni bhāreṇāvacchādayantaṃ sadyogṛhītaliṅginam aliṅginaṃ vā pravrajitam alakṣyavyādhitaṃ bhayavikāriṇaṃ gūḍhasārabhāṇḍaśāsanaśastrāgniyogaṃ viṣahastaṃ dīrghapathikam amudraṃ copagrāhayet //

Any person who is abducting the wife or daughter of another, one who is carrying off the wealth of another, a suspected person, one who seems to be of perturbed appearance, one who has no baggage, one who attempts to conceal, or evade the cognisance of the valuable load in one's hand, one who has just put on a different garb, one who has removed or renounced one's usual garb, one who has just turned out an ascetic, one who pretends to be suffering from disease, one who seems to be alarmed, one who is stealthily carrying valuable things, or going on a secret mission, or carrying weapons or explosives (agniyoga), one who holds poison in one's hand, and one who has come from a long distance without a pass shall all be arrested.

2.28.21

kṣudrapaśur manuṣyaś ca sabhāro māṣakaṃ dadyāt, śirobhāraḥ kāyabhāro gavāśvaṃ ca dvau, uṣṭramahiṣaṃ caturaḥ, pañca labhuyānam, ṣaḍ goliṅgam, sapta śakaṭam, panyabhāraḥ pādam //

A minor quadruped as well as a man carrying some load shall pay one másha.

A head-load, a load carried on shoulders (káyabhárah), a cow, and a horse shall each pay 2 máshas.

A camel and a buffalo shall each pay 4 máshas.

A small cart (laghuyána) 5 máshas; and a cart (of medium size) drawn by bulls (golingam) shall pay 6 máshas and a big cart (sakata) 7 máshas.

A head-load of merchandise ¼ másha; this explains other kinds of loads. In big rivers, ferry-fees are double the above. Villages near marshy places shall give (to the ferry-men) the prescribed amount of food-stuff and wages.

2.28.22

tena bhāṇḍabhāro vyākhyātaḥ //

2.28.23

dviguṇo mahānadīṣu taraḥ //

2.28.24

klṛptam ānūpagrāmā bhaktavetanaṃ dadyuḥ //

2.28.25

pratyanteṣu tarāḥ śulkam ātivāhikaṃ vartanīṃ ca gṛhṇīyuḥ, nirgacchataś cāmudradravyasya bhāṇḍaṃ hareyuḥ, atibhāreṇāvelāyām atirthe tarataś ca //

In boundaries, ferry-men shall receive the toll, carriage-cess, and road-cess. They shall also confiscate the property of the person travelling without a pass. The Superintendent of Boats shall make good the loss caused by the loss of the boat due to the heavy load, sailing in improper time or place, want of ferry-men, or lack of repair. Boats should be launched between the months of Ashádha, the first seven days being omitted, and Kártika; the evidence of a ferryman should be given and the daily income should be remitted.

2.28.26

puruṣopakaraṇahīnāyām asaṃskṛtāyāṃ vā nāvi vipannāyāṃ nāvadhhyakṣo naṣṭaṃ vinaṣṭaṃ vābhyāvahet //

2.28.27

saptāhavṛttām āṣāḍhīṃ kārttikīṃ cāntarā taraḥ /
kārmikaḥ pratyayaṃ dadyān nityaṃ cāhnikam āvahet //E
(ṣuperintendent of cattle)