Arthashastra - The Six Excellences of Writing

Devanagari

अर्थक्रमः सम्बन्धः परिपूर्णता माधुर्यमौदार्यं स्पष्टत्वमिति लेखसम्पत् ॥
तत्र यथावदनुपूर्वकिया प्रधानस्यार्थस्य पूर्वमभिनिवेश इत्यर्थक्रमः ॥
प्रस्तुतस्यार्थस्यानुरोधादुत्तरस्य विधानमासमाप्तेरिति सम्बन्धः ॥
अर्थपदाक्षराणामन्यूनतिरिक्तता हेतूदाहरणदृष्टान्तैरर्थोपवर्णनाश्रान्तपदतेति परिपूर्णता ॥
सुखोपनीतचर्वर्थशब्दाभिधानं माधुर्यम् ॥
अग्राम्यशब्दाभिधानमौदार्यम् ॥
प्रतीतशब्दप्रयोगः स्पष्टत्वमिति ॥

Transliteration

arthakramaḥ sambandhaḥ paripūrṇatā mādhuryam-audāryaṃ spaṣṭatvam-iti lekha-sampat ||
tatra yathāvad-anupūrvakriyā pradhānasyārthasya pūrvam-abhiniveśa ity-arthakramaḥ ||
prastutasyārthasyān-uparodhād-uttarasya vidhānam-ā-samāpter-iti sambandhaḥ ||
artha-padākṣarāṇām-anyūnātiriktatā hetūdāharaṇa-dृṣṭāntair-arthopavarṇanā-śrāntapadateti paripūrṇatā ||
sukhopanīta-cārvartha-śabdābhidhānaṃ mādhuryam ||
agrāmya-śabdābhidhānam-audāryam ||
pratīta-śabda-prayogaḥ spaṣṭatvam-iti ||

Translation

The List of Excellences (2.10.06): Arrangement of subject matter, connection (relevance), completeness, sweetness, dignity (grandeur), and clarity—these are the excellences of writing.

1. Order (2.10.07): Placing the most important subject first, followed by others in their proper order, is “Artha-krama.”

2. Connection (2.10.08): The arrangement where following parts do not contradict the initial premise until the end is “Sambandha.”

3. Completeness (2.10.09): Having no missing/extra words, using reasons, examples, and analogies, and words that do not tire the reader is “Paripurnata.”

4. Sweetness (2.10.10): The use of agreeable words and ideas that are easily understood is “Madhurya.”

5. Dignity (2.10.11): Using words that are not vulgar or common is “Audarya.”

6. Clarity (2.10.12): The use of well-known and familiar words is “Spashtatva.”

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