India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c8.s10.15

c8.s10.15

Patañjali knows of a wide net-work of roads punctuated by well-marked stages for purposes of halt and rest. He refers to the road leading from Sāketa towards Pāṭaliputra (*Bhāshya*, III.3.136; II.162), and again to the route leading towards Srughna (*Bhāshya*, I.3.25; I.281). Pāṇini also refers to the terminii of roads connecting cities. The terminus at its destination was called *maryādā* or limit, and the other cities on the way marked the intermediate stages at shorter (*avarasmin*) or longer distances of the journey (III.3.136). The *Kāśikā* adds the interesting fact that these halts were counted by the need of rest and meal on the way.