Book 10 (Relating to War), Chapter I: ENCAMPMENT

Translated by R. Shamasastry (1915, public domain), 1915. Public domain.

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ON a site declared to be the best according to the science of buildings, the leader (ndyaka), the carpenter (vardhaki), and the astrologer (mauhurtika) should measure a circular, rectangular, or square spot for the camp which should, in accordance with the available space, consist of four gates, six roads, and nine divisions.
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Provided with ditches, parapets, walls, doors, and watch towers for defence against fear, the quarters of the king, 1,000 bows long and half as broad, should be situated in one of the nine divisions to the north from the centre, while to the west of it his harem, and at its extremity the army of the harem are to be situated. In his front, the place for worshipping gods; to his right the departments of finance and accounts; and to his left the quarters of elephants and horses mounted by the king himself. Outside this and at a distance of 100 bows from each other, there should be fixed four cart-poles (sakatamedhi) pillars and walls. In the first (of these four divisions), the prime minister and the priest (should have their quarters); to its right the store-house and the kitchen: to its left the store of raw products and weapons; in the second division the quarters of the hereditary army and of horses and chariots: outside this, hunters and keepers of dogs with their trumpets and with fire; also spies and sentinels; also, to prevent the attack of enemies, wells, mounds and thorns should be arranged. The eighteen divisions of sentinels employed for the purpose of securing the safety of the king should be changing their watches in turn. In order to ascertain the movements of spies, a time-table of business should also be prepared during the day. Disputes, drinking, social gatherings, and gambling should also be prohibited. The system of
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passports should also be observed. The officer in charge of the boundary (of the camp) should supervise the conduct of the commander-in-chief and the observance of the instructions given to the army.
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* The instructor (prasdstd) with his retinue and with carpenters and free labourers should carefully march in front on the road, and should dig wells of water.

Commentary

Book 10 of Kauṭilya's Arthaśāstra, Chapter I. 4 paragraphs from Shamasastry's 1915 English translation. The Arthaśāstra is a treatise on statecraft, economic policy, and military strategy attributed to Kauṭilya (Cāṇakya), advisor to Chandragupta Maurya. Shamasastry's translation, the first into English, was published from his discovery of a 4th-century manuscript at the Government Oriental Library in Mysore. Modern critical editions (Olivelle 2013, Kangle 1965) are more philologically rigorous; we cite them but do not reproduce.