The Rashtrakutas and their Times c14.28

c14.28

18. गावो तणाइ सीमा आरासुदपाण चेटरूपाणि वाही य वाणमन्तर सुग्गह ततो य आहिपती अथ भावार्थ उच्यते । प्रथमो नैगमः प्राह । यावन्तं भूभागं गावश्चरितुं व्रजन्ति तावान् सर्वोऽपि ग्राम इति व्यपदेशं लभते । ततो विशुद्धनैगमः प्रतिभणति । गावो वयंन्ति दूरं पि जं तु तनकठहारगादीयां । सुरूढिते गता एन्ति अत्य सन्ते ततो गामो ॥ परिस्थूरमपि परमात्मपि चरितुं गावो व्रजन्ति ततः किमेवं सोप्येक एव ग्रामो भवतु ? अपि च एवं श्रुवतो भूयसामपि परस्परमतिद्रीयसां ग्रामाणामपि एकग्रामतैव प्रसज्जति । न चैतावदुपपन्नम् । तस्मात्तैतावान् ग्रामः । किन्तु यावन्मात्रं क्षेत्रं तृणहारककाष्ठ हरकादयो सूर्य उत्थिते तृणयार्थं गताः सन्तः सूर्यऽस्तं यति...पुनरायान्ति एतावत्क्षेत्रं-ग्रामः । शुद्धतरो निगमो भणति । यद्यपि गवां गोचरक्षेत्रात् आसन्नतरं भूभागं तृणकाष्ठहारका व्रजन्ति तथापि ते कदाचित् परसीमानमपि व्रजन्ति तस्मात्तैतावान् ग्राम उपपद्यते । अहं ब्रवीमि यावत् स्वात्मीया सीमा एतावान् ग्रामः । ततोपि विशुद्धतरः diverse meanings. The verse in question refers to ten different theories about the extent of area that was denoted by the term grāma. The first theory maintained that it could comprise not only the area of settlement, but also the territory upto the limits of which the cows go out while grazing. The second theory contended that grāma could not denote so extensive an area, since cows often go out for grazing in the fields of contiguous villages. It maintained that only that much area which is traversed by the grass and fuel gatherers in the course of the day can be comprised in the meaning of the term in question. The third view maintained that even this interpretation is open to a similar objection and, therefore, grāma denotes only the area included in the boundaries of the village in question. The fourth view reduced even this extent and prefered to regard grāma as comprising only the area upto the village well. The subsequent views go on curtailing the extent of grāma still further till the climax is reached when it is contended that grāma means that temple or village-hall which was first built in the village, and around which the settlement subsequently grew. The commentator further observes that grāma, in the opinion of some, meant the individual houses of the speakers; the last view cited by him is that the term can be used to denote the headman of the village as well. It may be pointed out that the sense of the landed estate is nowhere advanced by any of the schools referred to in the Kosha.