Sutra 8

Devanagari script

तयोः अर्थो न वेति अनर्थो न वेति अर्थोऽनर्थ इति अनर्थोऽर्थ इति संशयः ॥ कZ_०९.७.०८ ॥

Transliteration

tayoḥ artho na veti anartho na veti artho'nartha iti anartho'rtha iti saṃśayaḥ

Translation

এই দুয়োটাৰ (লাভ আৰু অনর্থ) বিষয়ে—‘হয়তো ই লাভ নহয়’, ‘হয়তো ই অনর্থ নহয়’, ‘লাভ অনর্থ হ’ব পাৰে’, বা ‘অনর্থ লাভ হ’ব পাৰে’—এনেকুৱা দ্বিধাই ‘সংশয়’।

Word by Word

तयोःof the two (alternatives/cases)

अर्थःbenefit; advantageous outcome

नnot

वाor

इतिthus (saying/considering)

अनर्थःharm; disadvantage; adverse outcome

नnot

वाor

इतिthus

अर्थःbenefit

अनर्थःharm

इतिthus

अनर्थःharm

अर्थःbenefit

इतिthus

संशयःdoubt; indecision

Entities Mentioned

artha (gain)

anartha (harm)

FAQs

What decision problem is Kauṭilya highlighting?

Policy outcomes can flip signs over time; uncertainty includes misclassification (gain vs harm) and reversals (gain→harm, harm→gain).