Verse 3.23 - The tributaries of the rivers

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Tattvartha sūtra 3.23:

चतुर्दशनदीसहस्रपरिवृता गंगासिन्ध्वादयो नद्यः ॥ ३.२३ ॥

caturdaśanadīsahasraparivṛtā gaṃgāsindhvādayo nadyaḥ || 3.23 ||

The rivers Gaṅgā, Sindhu, etc., have 14,000 tributaries. (23)

Hindi Anvayarth:

अन्वयार्थ: गंगा-सिन्धु आदि नदियों के युगल चौदह हजार सहायक नदियों से घिरे हुए हैं।

Anvayartha: gamga-sindhu adi nadiyom ke yugala caudaha hajara sahayaka nadiyom se ghire hue haim |

Explanation in English from Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s Sarvārthasiddhi:

Their tributaries are enumerated in this sūtra.

Why should ‘Gaṅgā, Sindhu, etc.,’ be mentioned in the sūtra? It is to include these rivers. But are these rivers, the subject of description, not naturally included? It should not be considered so. The sūtra has reference only to the immediately preceding rule or exception. According to this principle this would include only the western rivers. The term ‘Gaṅgā, etc.,’ would include only the eastern rivers. Hence ‘Gaṅgā, Sindhu, etc.,’ is used to include both. The word ‘nadi’–river–is used in the sūtra to associate this number with ‘dviguṇadviguṇāḥ’.

Therefore, river Gaṅgā and river Sindhu, each, has 14,000 tributaries. The groups of rivers in the other regions have twice the number of tributaries up to the Videha region. Beyond that the tributaries are less by half the number. This means that rivers Rohita and Rohitāsyā, each, has 28,000 tributaries. Rivers Harit and Harikāntā, each, has 56,000 tributaries. Rivers Sītā and Sītodā, each, has 1,12,000 tributaries. Rivers Nārī and Narakāntā, each, has 56,000 tributaries. Rivers Suvarṇakūlā and Rūpyakūlā, each, has 28,000 tributaries. And, rivers Raktā and Raktodā, each, has 14,000 tributaries.