Sutra 22

Devanagari script

प्रतिजपितुर्वा दूतदण्डाननुप्रविष्टास्तीक्ष्णाः शस्त्ररसादिभिरेषां छिद्रेषु प्रहरेयुः ॥ कZ_०९.५.२२ ॥

Transliteration

pratijapitur vā dūtadaṇḍān anupraviṣṭās tīkṣṇāḥ śastrarasādibhiḥ eṣāṃ chidreṣu prahareyuḥ

Translation

Or, sharp (covert) operatives, having infiltrated along with the counter-instigator’s messengers and retinue, should strike at their vulnerabilities using weapons, poison, and the like.

Word by Word

• प्रतिजपितुः: of the one who has been instructed to mutter/recite (a formula)
• Type: Noun (verbal derivative)
• Root: जप् (प्रति-√जप्)
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचन; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक (तुमुन्/तृच्-आधारित agentive sense: ‘one who mutters/recites’); पुंलिङ्ग

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• दूतदण्डान्: messengers’ staffs/rods (insignia-staves)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूत + दण्ड
• Form: द्वितीया-बहुवचन; पुंलिङ्ग

• अनुप्रविष्टाः: having entered (in), having gained entry
• Type: Verb (past passive participle used adjectivally)
• Root: प्र-√विश् (anu- + pra-)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त); प्रथमा-बहुवचन; पुंलिङ्ग; ‘having entered/followed in’

• तीक्ष्णाः: sharp/ruthless (agents)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचन; पुंलिङ्ग; विशेषणम् (अनुप्रविष्टाः इत्यस्य)

• शस्त्र: with weapons
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र
• Form: तृतीया-बहुवचन (समुच्चय-समासे पूर्वपद); नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• रस: with juices/extracts (incl. poisonous liquids)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रस
• Form: तृतीया-बहुवचन (समुच्चय-समासे); पुंलिङ्ग

• आदिभिः: and the like; etc.
• Type: Noun (indeclinable-like in sense, but declined)
• Root: आदि
• Form: तृतीया-बहुवचन; पुंलिङ्ग; ‘and the like’ (समाहार/अन्यसमुच्चयार्थ)

• एषाम्: of these (persons)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (एतद्)
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• छिद्रेषु: in (their) weak points/openings
• Type: Noun
• Root: छिद्र
• Form: सप्तमी-बहुवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• प्रहरेयुः: they should strike/attack
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√हृ (प्रहरति)
• Form: लिङ् (विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष-बहुवचन

Entities Mentioned

• pratijapituḥ (counter-instigator)
• dūta (envoy)
• tīkṣṇa (covert operative)

More Details

FAQs

What does 'chidra' signify in Kautilyan strategy?

Any exploitable weakness—procedural gaps, personal vices, security lapses, divided loyalties—where limited force yields decisive effect.

How is infiltration operationalized here?

By embedding covert specialists within or alongside diplomatic/agent channels (dūtas and their escorts) to reach targets with plausible access.