Kauṭalya or Kauṭilya – Note

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.