India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c8.s9.4

c8.s9.4

Pāṇini refers to officers (*niyukta*), in charge of buildings ending in *agāra* (IV.4.69-70), *e.g.* *bhāṇḍāgārika*, *devāgārika*, *koshṭhāgārika* (*Kāśikā*). *Agāra* indicated a larger building with several parts, one of which (*agār-aika-deśa*) was called *praghaṇa* or *praghāṇa* (III.3.79), explained by the *Kāśikā* as the rooms in the outer gateway of a building (*bāhya-dvāra-prakoshṭha*). (Cf. Pali *paghana*, a covered terrace before a house, *Vin.* II.153; *paghanaṁ nāma yaṁ nikkhamantā cha pavisantā cha pādehi hananti*, Buddhaghosha). In the *Udaya Jātaka* there is a reference to *koṭṭhaka* which the commentary translates as *dvāra-koṭṭhaka* (*Jāt.* Vol. IV. 106). Dr. Coomaraswamy understands *dvāra-koṭṭhaka* specifically as gatehouses, which formed part of the gateways in the wall of a city and of which several examples are found in ancient Indian art (Early Indian Architecture, 'Cities and City-Gates,' p. 209, *Eastern Art Annual*, 1930, Vol. 11; Skt. *alinda*).