Sutra 2

Devanagari script

सामन्तं सामन्तेन सम्भूय यायात् यदि वा मन्येत पार्ष्णिं मे न ग्रहीष्यति पार्ष्णिग्राहं वारयिष्यति यातव्यं नाभिसरिष्यति बलद्वैगुण्यं मे भविष्यति वीवधासारौ मे प्रवर्तयिष्यति परस्य वारयिष्यति बह्वाबाधे मे पथि कण्टकान्मर्दयिष्यति दुर्गाटव्यपसारेषु दण्डेन चरिष्यति यातव्यमविषह्ये दोषे संधौ वा स्थापयिष्यति लब्धलाभांशो वा शत्रूनन्यान्मे विश्वासयिष्यति इति ॥ कZ_०७.७.०२ ॥

Transliteration

sāmantaṃ sāmantena sambhūya yāyāt yadi vā manyeta pārṣṇiṃ me na grahīṣyati pārṣṇigrāhaṃ vārayiṣyati yātavyaṃ nābhisariṣyati baladvaiguṇyaṃ me bhaviṣyati vīvadhāsārau me pravartayiṣyati parasya vārayiṣyati bahvābādhe me pathi kaṇṭakānmardayiṣyati durgāṭavyapasāreṣu daṇḍena cariṣyati yātavyamaviṣahye doṣe saṃdhau vā sthāpayiṣyati labdhalābhāṃśo vā śatrūnanyānme viśvāsayiṣyati iti

Translation

ينبغي له أن يسيرَ في حملةٍ بالاشتراك مع أحد ملوك الثغور (sāmanta) ضدَّ ملكٍ حدوديٍّ آخر، إذا قدَّر: «لن يستولي على مؤخرتي (pārṣṇi)؛ وسيكبحُ مُستوليَ المؤخرة (pārṣṇigrāha)؛ ولن ينقلب عليّ؛ وستتضاعف قواتي على نحوٍ فعّال؛ وسيُطلق الغارات والمضايقات أو يكبحها؛ وعلى طريقٍ كثير العوائق سيسحقُ العقبات؛ وفي عمليات الحصون وفتح المسالك في الغابات سيتصرف بسلطةٍ قسرية؛ وعند خطأٍ لا يُحتمل سيُقيَّد بمعاهدة؛ وبعد أن ينال نصيبًا من الربح سيُطمئن أعدائي الآخرين ويجلبهم إلى الثقة».

Word by Word

सामन्तम्a frontier/vassal king (as the object)

सामन्तेनwith/through a frontier (vassal) king

सम्भूयhaving joined together / in coalition

यायात्should march/go

यदिif

वाor

मन्येतshould think/consider

पार्ष्णिम्my rear (heel), i.e., rear-side threat

मेmy

नnot

ग्रहीष्यतिwill seize/attack

पार्ष्णिग्राहम्the rear-attacker (rear enemy)

वारयिष्यतिwill restrain/block

यातव्यम्it is to be marched / one should go

नnot

अभिसरिष्यतिwill advance/attack (towards)

बलद्वैगुण्यम्doubling of my forces/strength

मेfor me / my

भविष्यतिwill be / will occur

वीवधासारौthe two (measures) ‘vīvadhā’ and ‘āsāra’ (pair of coercive/harassing operations)

मेfor me / my

प्रवर्तयिष्यतिwill initiate/carry out

परस्यof the enemy/other (king)

वारयिष्यतिwill restrain/block

बह्वाबाधेwhen there is much obstruction (on the way)

मेmy

पथिon the route

कण्टकान्thorns; i.e., obstacles/trouble-makers

मर्दयिष्यतिwill crush/suppress

दुर्गाटव्यपसारेषुin (operations of) retreat/withdrawal via forts and forests

दण्डेनby force/punitive power

चरिष्यतिwill operate/move

यातव्यम्one should go / it is to be marched

अविषह्येin an unbearable (situation)

दोषेin a grave fault/danger

सन्धौin a treaty/peace (arrangement)

वाor

स्थापयिष्यतिwill place/settle (me)

लब्धलाभांशः(he) having obtained a share of gains

वाor

शत्रून्enemies

अन्यान्other (enemies/others)

मेin me / my

विश्वासयिष्यतिwill inspire confidence / make (them) trust

इतिthus

Entities Mentioned

vijigīṣu (implied decision-maker)

sāmanta (ally)

sāmanta (target/other neighbor)

pārṣṇigrāha (rear-attacker)

FAQs

What is the decision rule for marching with an ally here?

March with a neighboring ally only if he reduces rear-risk, increases effective strength, secures routes, supports coercive operations in difficult terrain, and can be held to treaty discipline.

Why does Kautilya emphasize ‘rear’ (pārṣṇi) so strongly?

Because expeditionary campaigns fail when supply lines and the homeland are exposed; controlling rear-threats is a prerequisite to outward expansion.