Sutra 8
Devanagari script
यश्च मुख्यः पक्षवान्दुर्गाटवीस्थो वा वैगुण्यं भजेत तमुपग्राहयेत् ॥ कZ_०५.६.०८ ॥
Transliteration
yaś ca mukhyaḥ pakṣavān durgāṭavīstho vā vaiguṇyaṃ bhajeta tam upagrāhayet
Translation
Jeder führende Mann, der eine Gefolgschaft hinter sich hat—ob in einer Festung oder im Wald—soll, wenn er Unzufriedenheit oder Schwäche zeigt, durch Anreize und Bindung für sich gewonnen (unter Kontrolle gebracht) werden.
Word by Word
यःwho (he who)
यः:
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
Formसर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन
चand
च:
TypeParticle
Rootच
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय
मुख्यःthe chief, principal
मुख्यः:
TypeAdjective
Rootमुख्य
Formविशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन
पक्षवान्having a side/party; supported; faction-backed
पक्षवान्:
TypeAdjective
Rootपक्षवत्
Formविशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (वत्)
दुर्गाटवीस्थःsituated in a fort or in the forest
दुर्गाटवीस्थः:
TypeAdjective
Rootदुर्गाटवीस्थ
Formसमासान्त-विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; दुर्ग-आटवी-स्थ (= in a fort/forest)
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formविकल्प-अव्यय
वैगुण्यम्a fault; deficiency; lapse
वैगुण्यम्:
TypeNoun
Rootवैगुण्य
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन
भजेतshould resort to; should incur/commit
भजेत:
TypeVerb
Rootभज्
Formलोट्/विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन
तम्him
तम्:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formसर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन
उपग्राहयेत्should win over; should bring to one’s side
उपग्राहयेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootउप-ग्रह् (causative)
Formणिच्-प्रत्यय (causative); विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन
Entities Mentioned
F
factional leaderF
fort-based actorsF
forest-based actors (āṭavī)FAQs
It is cheaper and faster to absorb a wavering power-broker than to fight him; co-optation prevents factional consolidation against the state.
Kauṭilya treats both frontier garrisons and forest polities as potential bases of alternative power requiring political handling.