Sutra 24

Devanagari script

अभ्यन्तरानभ्यन्तरेषूपजपत्सु यथार्हमुपायं प्रयुञ्जीत ॥ कZ_०९.५.२४ ॥

Transliteration

abhyantarān abhyantareṣu upajapatsu yathārham upāyaṃ prayuñjīta

Translation

When insiders are instigating insiders, one should apply an appropriate measure (upāya) according to the case.

Word by Word

• अभ्यन्तरान्: internal (persons/agents/parties)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्यन्तर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-बहुवचन; (कर्मपद)

• अभ्यन्तरेषु: among/with respect to internal (ones)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्यन्तर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-बहुवचन; (अधिकरण)

• उपजपत्सु: among those who are secretly intriguing/instigating (whispering, plotting)
• Type: Noun (present participle used substantively)
• Root: उपजप्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-बहुवचन; वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ) ‘उपजपत्’; (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध/अधिकरण)

• यथा-अर्हम्: as appropriate; according to what is deserved/fit
• Type: Indeclinable (Avyaya)
• Root: यथा, अर्ह
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण

• उपायम्: a means/measure/expedient
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; (कर्म)

• प्रयुञ्जीत: should employ/apply
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + युज्
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन; वर्तमान; (आदेश/विधान)

Entities Mentioned

• abhyantara (insider agents)

More Details

FAQs

Why is the response to insider-instigation not fixed (unlike outsiders)?

Insiders are embedded in administration and legitimacy structures; blunt coercion can backfire. Hence Kautilya recommends case-by-case calibration.

What factors would determine 'yathārham'?

Rank, evidence strength, factional balance, public perception, operational risk, and whether reconciliation, isolation, or punishment best preserves stability.