Studies in Ancient Hindu Polity (Based on the Arthashastra of Kautilya), Vol. I c9.s1.12

c9.s1.12

As has been already mentioned, there was also a class of roads that were designated according to their destinations. The राष्ट्रपथ (4 daṇḍas or 32 feet wide) was the road leading to the districts. The road leading to pastures was known as विवीतपथ, and was of the same breadth. The approaches to the forts in the centre of 400 and 800 villages were known respectively as द्रोणमुखपथ and स्थानीयपथ, and were of equal breadth with the preceding.² The क्षेत्रपथ led to the fields under cultivation (बीजपथ = seed or grain). The road leading to a military station was called the व्यूहपथ. The श्मशानपथ, as the name indicates, led to the cremation-grounds, while the ग्रामपथ was a thoroughfare which led to and through a village. The above four classes of roads were all 8 daṇḍas or 64 feet wide. The paths to forests were known as वनपथ (4 daṇḍas or 32 feet wide), and those leading to elephant forests were called हस्तिपथ (2 daṇḍas or 16 feet wide). The roads leading to or passing over elevated and difficult places like embankments were designated as सेतुपथ (4 daṇḍas or 32 feet wide).¹