Verse 7.121

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

नगरे नगरे चैकं कुर्यात् सर्वार्थचिन्तकम् ।
उच्चैःस्थानं घोररूपं नक्षत्राणामिव ग्रहम् ॥ १२१ ॥

nagare nagare caikaṃ kuryāt sarvārthacintakam |
uccaiḥsthānaṃ ghorarūpaṃ nakṣatrāṇāmiva graham || 121 ||

In each town he shall appoint one Superintendent of all works, of high status and awe-inspiring appearance,—he being like a planet among stars.—(121)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Of high status’—i.e., at the head of others.

‘Of awe-inspiring appearance’—of commanding presence.

‘Like a planet among stars’—i.e. like the planet Mars.

He shall also be equipped with an army consisting of elephants, horses and the rest.—(121)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

‘Graham’—‘The planet Mars’ (Medhātithi);—‘Planet, Venus and others’ (Kullūka);—‘the Sun’ (Govindarāja);—‘the Moon’ (Nārāyaṇa).

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Rājanīti, p. 249), which adds the following notes:—‘Uccaissthānam’ means ‘highly placed in the matter of birth and so forth,’—or ‘having a lùghly placed seat’,—‘ghorarūpam’ means ‘awe-inspiring.’

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Mahābhārata (12.87.10-11).—(Same as Manu.)

Āpastamba (2.26.4).—‘He shall appoint men of the first three castes, who are pure and truthful, over villages and towns, for the protection of the people.’

Arthaśāstra (p. 160).—‘To the best of his power he shall place such officers in charge of departments as are endowed with all the qualities of a minister; and their work shall he constantly inspected.’