Sutra 71
Devanagari script
सामन्ताटविकतत्कुलीनापरुद्धैश्चैषां राज्यानि घातयेत्सार्थव्रजाटवीर्वा दण्डं वाभिसृतम् ॥ कZ_०९.६.७१ ॥
Transliteration
sāmantāṭavikatatkulīnāparuddhaiś caiṣāṃ rājyāni ghātayet sārthavrajāṭavīr vā daṇḍaṃ vābhisṛtam
Translation
He should strike at their kingdoms using frontier vassals, forest chiefs, tribal/noble lineages, and detained persons (hostages/prisoners); or by deploying merchant caravans and forest-fighters (as instruments), or by a punitive force sent out.
Word by Word
सामन्तvassal/feudatory (neighboring subordinate) kings
सामन्त:
TypeNoun
Rootसामन्त
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/तृतीया बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद; बहुव्रीहिसमासे पूर्वपद)
आटविकforest-tribal (chiefs/people)
आटविक:
TypeNoun/Adjective
Rootआटविक
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/तृतीया बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद; बहुव्रीहिसमासे पूर्वपद)
तत्कुलीनthose belonging to that (same) lineage/family
तत्कुलीन:
TypeAdjective
Rootतत्कुलीन
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/तृतीया बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद; बहुव्रीहिसमासे पूर्वपद); तत्+कुलीन = तस्य कुलीनः
अपरुद्धैःby those who are confined/blocked up/held in check
अपरुद्धैः:
TypeAdjective (past participle)
Rootअपरुद्ध
Formपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन; कृदन्त (अप+√रुध् ‘to obstruct/confine’)
चand
च:
TypeParticle
Rootच
Formसमुच्चयार्थक अव्यय
एषाम्of these (their)
एषाम्:
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
Formषष्ठी बहुवचन (सर्वनाम)
राज्यानिkingdoms/realms
राज्यानि:
TypeNoun
Rootराज्य
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन
घातयेत्should cause (them) to be destroyed/ruined
घातयेत्:
TypeVerb
Root√हन् (घातयति)
Formकारण (णिच्) प्रयोग; विधिलिङ्/आज्ञार्थे; परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन; ‘cause to be struck/destroyed’
सार्थव्रजcaravan-trains (of merchants)
सार्थव्रज:
TypeNoun
Rootसार्थव्रज
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद; ‘caravan-train’)
आटवीःforest tracts/forest routes
आटवीः:
TypeNoun
Rootआटवी
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formविकल्पार्थक अव्यय
दण्डम्punitive force/punishment (coercion)
दण्डम्:
TypeNoun
Rootदण्ड
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formविकल्पार्थक अव्यय
अभिसृतम्sent forth/advanced/deployed
अभिसृतम्:
TypeAdjective (past participle)
Rootअभिसृत
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; कृदन्त (अभि+√सृ ‘to go/advance towards’)
Entities Mentioned
S
sāmanta (frontier vassal)Ā
āṭavika (forest chief)A
aparuddha (detained/hostage)D
daṇḍa (punitive force)S
sārtha (caravan)FAQs
Kauṭilya groups controllable local levers—border intermediaries, forest networks, and captive/hostage assets—to create pressure inside the adversary’s realm without immediate overt war.