Sutra 3

Devanagari script

अहिभयादभ्यन्तरः कोपो बाह्यकोपात्पापीयानन्तरमात्यकोपश्चान्तःकोपात् ॥ कZ_०८.२.०३ ॥

Transliteration

ahibhayādabhyantaraḥ kopo bāhyakopātpāpīyānantaramātyakopaścāntaḥkopāt

Translation

Innere Feindseligkeit ist gefährlicher als äußere (wie man eine Schlange mehr fürchtet); und unter den inneren Feindseligkeiten ist die Feindseligkeit eines Ministers gefährlicher als andere innere Feindseligkeiten.

Word by Word

• अहिभयात्: from fear of a snake
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहि; भय
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; पञ्चमी (अपादान)

• अभ्यन्तरः: internal
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभ्यन्तर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा; विशेषण (कोपः इत्यस्य)

• कोपः: anger; hostility
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोप
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा

• बाह्यकोपात्: from external hostility
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाह्य; कोप
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; पञ्चमी (अपादान)

• पापीयान्: worse; more harmful
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापीयस् (पाप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा; तुलनात्मक (comparative)

• अन्तरम्: more internal; nearer
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: अन्तर
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (अव्यक्त-सम्बन्ध; ‘अन्तरम्’ = ‘more internal/closer’)

• अमात्यकोपः: the hostility/anger of ministers
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमात्य; कोप
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• अन्तःकोपात्: from internal hostility
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तः; कोप
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; पञ्चमी (अपादान)

Entities Mentioned

• king
• amātya (minister)
• internal faction

More Details

FAQs

Why is internal hostility ranked worse than external hostility?

Because insiders have proximity, access, and credibility—allowing sabotage, misinformation, and rapid coalition-building against the ruler.

Why is a minister’s hostility singled out as especially dangerous?

Ministers control information flows, administration, and coercive/financial levers; their defection can paralyze or capture the state.