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Kauṭalya or Kauṭilya – Note

By D. B. Diskalkar

Vol. 1 · No. 4December - 1925pp. 786–786English

Summary

This brief communication addresses the orthography of the name ‘Kauṭilya,’ author of the Arthashastra. The writer notes that some inscriptions spell the name as ‘Kauṭalya’ and presents epigraphic evidence from Gujarat and South India supporting this variant. He argues that the form ‘Kauṭalya’ better reflects the original Prakrit pronunciation and calls for cautious use of Sanskritised spellings in scholarly works.

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Conclusion

The note underscores the importance of philological precision. By analysing epigraphic variants, it reminds scholars that names of ancient authors may appear in different forms and that editorial choices should reflect historical usage.

Key passages

Chosen by AI from the article's text. Each one is checked word for word against the text before it is shown.

  • “In the previous number of this Journsl (p. 569) Mr. V. Vankataram Sharma has written ‘A note on the word Kautalya’ showing that Kautalya and not Kaupilya is the right spelling of the name of the famous author of the Arthaddstra.”
  • “1 have found an inscription of V. S, 1291 (Vaikikha Sudi 14 Guran) from the village Ganesar near Dholka. in Gujarat which in 1, ૦ clearly reads Kautalya, It records that Vastu- piala घाट famous Jain minister of the Vighela king Viradhavala, who छाई a .emple of Ganedvara in V. ૭. 1291, was equal to Kautalya in statesmanship.”
  • “(દ the Rgveda VIII, 45, 37 the words ;a‘H' કિ occur together in the following sentence: jak3 ko' asmadigate, The same verse 18”

Works cited in this article

  1. Dr. Bhandarkar’s 200૬
  2. Arthaddstra
  3. Rgveda VIII, 45, 37

Discussed in this article

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  • Vedic Jahaka and the Avestic Dahaka

Dynasties, sects & groups

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In this issue

Vol. 1 · No. 4
599–622Hindu Kingdoms in IndochinaLouis Finot623–642Ministers in Ancient India IIRadha Govinda Basak643–652A Problem of Ancient South Indian History IIK, G. Shesha Iyer653–656Persian Inscriptions in the Gwalior StateRam Singh Saksena657–676Aspects of the History of Hindu AstronomySukumar Ranjan Das677–679DharmasamuccayaDharmaditya Dharmacharya679–689Kingdoms of the Deccan (mentioned in the Allahabad Pillar Inscription of Samudragupta)G. Ramadas689–692SalihotraGirindranath Mukherji693–696The Trade of India (continued)P. T. Srinivas Iyengar696–702Principles of Hindu TaxationJ. N. C. Ganguly703–739The MahabhāṣyaPrabhat Chandra Chakravarti739–742The Mangalastaka of KālidāsaV. V. Gokhale743–759Hindu Politics in Italian IIBenoy Kumar Sarkar759–760The Mangalaśloka of the ŚlokavārttikaN. Aiyaswami Sastri761–769Indian Literature Abroad (In China) IIPrabhat Kumar Mukherji769–771BhadrāyanaHariprasad G. Shastri772–776Trivandrum Sanskrit SeriesG. Harihara Sastri776–779On the Materials for the History of RajputanaRam Sharma779–781Tradition about Vānāras and RākṣasasChintaharan Chakravarti781–783Sanskṛta Sāhitya Pariṣad SeriesChintaharan Chakravarti783–786A Review Reviewed786–786Kauṭalya or Kauṭilya – NoteD. B. DiskalkarCurrent article786–787The Vedic Jahaka and the Avestic DahakaVidhushekhara Bhattacharya787–787Indian BalladsS. N. RUDRA788–789Obituary – The Late Mr. L. D. Swamikannu PillaiK. G. Sesha Aiyar790–792Select Contents of Oriental Journals793–794Bibliographical Notes

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