Town Planning in Ancient India c8.15

c8.15

चतुर्दिशं जनपदन्ते साम्परायिकं दैवकृतं दुर्गं कारयेत्। अन्तर्दीपं स्थलं वा, निरुदकस्तम्बौदकं, प्रास्तरं गुहां वा पार्वतं, निरुदकस्तम्बमिरिणं वा धान्वनं, खञ्जनोदकं सम्बगहनं वा वनदुर्गं। तेषां नदीपर्वतदुर्गं जनपदस्यक्षामं, धान्वनवनदुर्गमटवीस्थानम्। advantages of its natural defences such as deserts, rivers, and the like. In the kingdom which lacks such defensive qualifications conferred by nature, there should be established artificial forts, i.e., those which are protected by ramparts surmounted by embattled parapets and girt round by large ditches. The other mode of classification is given by Mānasāra. “Forts are first divided into eight classes called Śibira, Bāhinīmukha, Sthānīya, Droṇaka,¹ Saṃviddha² or Vardhaka, Kolaka,³ Nigama, and Skandhāvāra.⁴ There is a further sub-division⁵ of these forts according to their position. They are known as mountain-fort (giridurga), forest-fort (vanadurga), water-fort (jaladurga), desert-fort (airiṇa durga),⁶ god’s fort (devadurga), and mixed fort (miśra durga).⁷…… All these forts are surrounded with strong walls and ditches.”¹ Mayamuni’s list corresponds to this.