cAra

[Rolf Heinrich Koch]

The term cAra is explained by the various scholars as "spy". The Buddhist 
canon has not one example like this. The Jains commentators interpret cAra as 
something like "Astrology" or better, I am not sure, as "making a Horoskop 
(german)". I suppose the explanation "spy" is not right. Why an ancient king 
needs to employ a spy in case his astrologers knew precisely the course of the 
enemy? Does anyone knows some more informations? Similar the term praticAra, 
often mentioned together with cAra is not clear to me.
Thanks.