Kautilya's Arthashastra 2.4: Chapter 4 (Section 22): Lay-out of the Fortified City

2.4.1

trayaḥ prācīnā rājamārgās traya udīcīnā iti vāstuvibhāgaḥ //

DEMARCATION of the ground inside the fort shall be made first by opening three royal roads from west to east and three from south to north.

2.4.2

sa dvādaśadvāro yuktodakabhramacchannapathaḥ //

The fort shall contain twelve gates, provided with both a land and water-way kept secret.

2.4.3

caturdaṇḍāntarā rathyāḥ //

Chariot-roads, royal roads, and roads leading to drónamukha, stháníya, country parts, and pasture grounds shall each be four dandas (24 ft.) in width.

2.4.4

rājamārgadroṇamukhasthānīyarāṣṭravivītapathāḥ samyānīyavyūhaśmaśānagrāmapathāś cāṣṭadaṇḍāḥ //

Roads leading to sayóníya (?), military stations (vyúha), burial or cremation grounds, and to villages shall be eight dandas in width.

2.4.5

caturdaṇḍaḥ setuvanapathaḥ, dvidaṇḍo hastikṣetrapathaḥ, pañcāratnayo rathapathaḥ, catvāraḥ paśupathaḥ, dvau kṣudrapaśumanuṣyapathaḥ //

Roads to gardens, groves, and forests shall be four dandas.

Roads leading to elephant forests shall be two dandas.

Roads for chariots shall be five aratnis (7½ ft.). Roads for cattle shall measure four aratnis; and roads for minor quadrupeds and men two aratnis.

2.4.6

pravīre vāstuni rājaniveśaś cāturvarṇyasamājīve //

Royal buildings shall be constructed on strong grounds.

In the midst of the houses of the people of all the four castes and to the north from the centre of the ground inside the fort, the king’s palace, facing either the north or the east shall, as described elsewhere (Chapter XX, Book I), be constructed occupying one-ninth of the whole site inside the fort.

2.4.7

vāstuhṛdayād uttare navabhāge yathoktavidhānam antaḥpuraṃ prānmukham udanmukhaṃ vā kārayet //

2.4.8

tasya pūrvottaraṃ bhāgam ācāryapurohitejyātoyasthānaṃ mantriṇaś cāvaseyuḥ, pūrvadakṣiṇaṃ bhāgm mahānasaṃ hastiśālā koṣṭhāgāraṃ ca //

Royal teachers, priests, sacrificial place, water-reservoir and ministers shall occupy sites east by north to the palace.

Royal kitchen, elephant stables, and the store-house shall be situated on sites east by south.

2.4.9

tataḥ paraṃ gandhamālyarasapaṇyāḥ prasādhanakāravaḥ kṣatriyāś ca pūrvāṃ diśam adhivaseyuḥ //

On the eastern side, merchants trading in scents, garlands, grains, and liquids, together with expert artisans and the people of Kshatriya caste shall have their habitations.

2.4.10

dakṣiṇapūrvaṃ bhāgaṃ bhāṇḍāgāram akṣapaṭalaṃ karmaniṣadyāś ca, dakṣiṇapaścimaṃ bhāgaṃ kupyagṛham āyudhāgāraṃ ca //

The treasury, the accountant’s office, and various manufactories (karmanishadyáscha) shall be situated on sites south by east.

The store-house of forest produce and the arsenal shall be constructed on sites south by west.

2.4.11

tataḥ paraṃ nagaradhānyavyāvahārikakārmāntikabalādhyakṣāḥ pakvānnasurāmāṃsapaṇyā rūpājīvās tālāvacarā vaiśyāś ca dakṣiṇāṃ diśam adhivaseyuḥ //

To the south, the superintendents of the city, of commerce, of manufactories, and of the army as well as those who trade in cooked rice, liquor, and flesh, besides prostitutes, musicians, and the people of Vaisya caste shall live.

2.4.12

paścimadakṣiṇaṃ bhāgaṃ kharoṣṭraguptisthānaṃ karmagṛhaṃ ca, paścimottaraṃ bhāgaṃ yānarathaśālāḥ //

To the west by south, stables of asses, camels, and working house.

To the west by north, stables of conveyances and chariots.

2.4.13

tataḥ param ūrṇāsūtraveṇucarmavarmaśastrāvaraṇakāravaḥ śūdrāś ca paścimāṃ diśam adhivaseyuḥ //

To the west, artisans manufacturing worsted threads, cotton threads, bamboo-mats, skins, armours, weapons, and gloves as well as the people of Súdra caste shall have their dwellings.

2.4.14

uttarapaścimaṃ bhāgaṃ paṇyabhaiṣajyagṛham, uttarapūrvaṃ bhāgaṃ kośo gavāśvaṃ ca //

To the north by west, shops and hospitals.

To the north by east, the treasury and the stables of cows and horses.

2.4.15

tataḥ paraṃ nagararājadevatālohamaṇikāravo brāhmaṇāś cottarāṃ diśam adhivaseyuḥ //

To the north, the royal tutelary deity of the city, ironsmiths, artisans working on precious stones, as well as Bráhmans shall reside.

2.4.16

vāstucchidrānuśāleṣu śreṇīprapaṇinikāyā āvaseyuḥ //

In the several corners, guilds and corporations of workmen shall reside.

2.4.17

aparājitāpratihatajayantavaijayantakoṣṭhān śivavaiśravaṇāśviśrīmadirāgṛhāṇi ca puramadhye kārayet //

In the centre of the city, the apartments of Gods such as Aparájita, Apratihata, Jayanta, Vaijayanta, Siva, Vaisravana, Asvina (divine physicians), and the honourable liquor-house (Srí-madiragriham), shall be situated.

2.4.18

yathoddeśaṃ vāstudevatāḥ sthāpayet //

In the corners, the guardian deities of the ground shall be appropriately set up.

2.4.19

brāhmaindrayāmyasaināpatyāni dvārāṇi //

Likewise the principal gates such as Bráhma, Aindra, Yámya, and Sainápatya shall be constructed; and at a distance of 100 bows (dhanus = 108 angulas) from the ditch (on the counterscarp side), places of worship and pilgrimage, groves and buildings shall be constructed.

2.4.20

bahiḥ parikhāyā dhanuḥśatāpakṛṣṭāś caityapuṇyasthānavanasetubandhāḥ kāryāḥ, yathādiśaṃ ca digdevatāḥ //

Guardian deities of all quarters shall also be set up in quarters appropriate to them.

2.4.21

uttaraḥ pūrvo vā śmaśānabhāgo varṇottamānām, dakṣiṇena śmaśānaṃ varṇāvarāṇām //

Either to the north or the east, burial or cremation grounds shall be situated; but that of the people of the highest caste shall be to the south (of the city).

2.4.22

tasyātikrame pūrvaḥ sāhasadaṇḍaḥ //

Violation of this rule shall be punished with the first amercement.

2.4.23

pāṣaṇḍacaṇḍālānāṃ śmaśānānte vāsaḥ //

Heretics and Chandálas shall live beyond the burial grounds.

2.4.24

karmāntakṣetravaśena kuṭumbināṃ sīmānaṃ sthāpayet //

Families of workmen may in any other way be provided with sites befitting with their occupation and field work. Besides working in flower-gardens, fruit-gardens, vegetable-gardens, and paddy-fields allotted to them, they (families) shall collect grains and merchandise in abundance as authorised.

2.4.25

teṣu puṣpaphalavāṭān dhānyapaṇyanicayāṃś cānujñātāḥ kuryuḥ //

2.4.26

daśakulīvāṭaṃ kūpasthānam //

There shall be a water-well for every ten houses.

2.4.27

sarvasnehadhānyakṣāralavaṇagandhabhaiṣajyaśuṣka.śākayavasavallūratṛṇakāṣṭhalohacarmāṅgāra.snāyuviṣaviṣāṇaveṇuvalkalasāradārupraharaṇa.āvaraṇāśmanicayān anekavarṣopabhogasahān kārayet //

Oils, grains, sugar, salt, medicinal articles, dry or fresh vegetables, meadow grass, dried flesh, haystock, firewood, metals, skins, charcoal, tendons (snáyu), poison, horns, bamboo, fibrous garments, strong timber, weapons, armour, and stones shall also be stored (in the fort) in such quantities as can be enjoyed for years together without feeling any want. Of such collection, old things shall be replaced by new ones when received.

2.4.28

navenānavaṃ śodhayet //

2.4.29

hastyaśvarathapādātam anekamukhyam avasthāpayet //

Elephants, cavalry, chariots, and infantry shall each be officered with many chiefs inasmuch as chiefs, when many, are under the fear of betrayal from each other and scarcely liable to the insinuations and intrigues of an enemy.

2.4.30

anekamukhyaṃ hi parasparabhayāt paropajāpaṃ nopaiti //

2.4.31

etenāntapāladurgasaṃskārā vyākhyātāḥ //

The same rule shall hold good with the appointment of boundary, guards, and repairers of fortifications.

2.4.32

na ca bāhirikān kuryāt pure rāṣṭropaghātakān /[ś]
kṣipej janapade caitān sarvān vā dāpayet karān //[ś] E

Never shall báhirikas who are dangerous to the well being of cities and countries be kept in forts. They may either be thrown in country parts or compelled to pay taxes.