अल्पः पश्चात्कोपो महान्पुरस्ताल्लाभ इति अल्पः पश्चात्कोपो गरीयान् ॥ कZ_०९.३.०१ ॥
alpaḥ paścātkopo mahān purastāl lābha iti alpaḥ paścātkopo garīyān
Even if the deferred backlash is small and the immediate gain is great, the deferred backlash is weightier (more decisive) in policy.
It prioritizes regime security: backlash can mobilize coalitions, insurgency, or elite defection that outweighs short-term material gains.