दूष्यशुद्धायां पौरेषु जानपदेषु वा दण्डवर्जानुपायान्प्रयुञ्जीत ॥ कZ_०९.६.०२ ॥
dūṣyaśuddhāyāṃ paureṣu jānapadeṣu vā daṇḍavarjān upāyān prayuñjīta
Zur Säuberung von inneren Verderbern — ob unter Stadtbewohnern oder auf dem Land — soll er Maßnahmen anwenden, die Strafe ausschließen (d. h. nicht‑zwanghafte bzw. wenig zwanghafte Mittel).
Broad coercion can alienate populations and intensify resentment; Kauṭilya signals a calibrated approach—use softer instruments first to isolate subversives without provoking mass backlash.
Sāma (conciliation), dāna (incentives), bheda (splitting networks), surveillance, informants, negotiated surrender, and administrative remedies—short of overt punishment.