Abhiyasyatkarma Adhyaya 3 Sutra 26 - Arthashastra | English | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 26

Devanagari script

अमित्राद्वा सत्त्री भेदयेदेनं अयं त्वा योगपुरुषं मन्यमानो भर्तर्येव विक्रमयिष्यति अवाप्तार्थो दण्डचारिणममित्राटविकेषु कृच्छ्रे वा प्रयासे योक्ष्यति विपुत्रदारमन्ते वा वासयिष्यति ॥ कZ_०९.३.२६ ॥

Transliteration

amitrād vā sattrī bhedayed enaṃ: ayaṃ tvā yogapuruṣaṃ manyamāno bhartary eva vikramayiṣyati; avāptārtho daṇḍacāriṇam amitrāṭavikeṣu kṛcchre vā prayāse yokṣyati, viputradāram ante vā vāsayiṣyati

Translation

Or an agent (sattrī) should estrange him from the enemy by telling him: ‘Thinking you to be a covert operative (yogapuruṣa), he will make you act only against your own master. Once he has gained his objective, he will employ you—an instrument of coercion—among hostile forest-tracts or in harsh and exhausting tasks; and in the end he will settle you in ruin, bereft of sons and wife.’

Word by Word

अमित्रात्from the enemy

वाor

सत्त्रीa spy/agent

भेदयेत्should cause dissension (in him) / should split him

एनम्him

अयम्this (man)

त्वाyou

योगपुरुषम्a stratagem-agent / operative

मन्यमानःthinking / supposing

भर्तरिin/against his master

एवindeed / just

विक्रमयिष्यतिwill make (him) act / will instigate (him)

अवाप्तार्थःhaving attained his aim

दण्डचारिणम्a punitive/armed man; one who wields punishment

अमित्राटविकेषुamong the enemy’s forest-tribes/forest-men

कृच्छ्रेin hardship/distress

वाor

प्रयासेin exertion/strain

योक्ष्यतिwill employ / will yoke (him)

विपुत्रदारम्without son and wife

अन्तेin the end

वाor

वासयिष्यतिwill cause (him) to dwell / will settle (him)

Entities Mentioned

amitra (enemy)

sattrī (agent)

yogapuruṣa (covert operative)

bhartṛ (master/sovereign)

FAQs

What tactic is recommended to prevent an official/agent from aligning with an enemy?

Use a trusted covert messenger to reframe the enemy as exploitative—someone who will use the person against their own side and discard them after extracting value.

What is the administrative purpose of the 'hardship posting' warning?

To make defection appear materially and socially catastrophic (dangerous assignments, loss of family standing), increasing loyalty through negative incentive.