Abhiyasyatkarma Adhyaya 7 Sutra 72 - Arthashastra | English | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 72

Devanagari script

शत्रोः शङ्कितामात्येषु सान्त्वं प्रयुक्तं शेषप्रयोगं निवर्तयति दूष्यामात्येषु दानं संघातेषु भेदः शक्तिमत्सु दण्ड इति ॥ कZ_०९.७.७२ ॥

Transliteration

śatroḥ śaṅkitāmātyeṣu sāntvaṃ prayuktaṃ śeṣaprayogaṃ nivartayati dūṣyāmātyeṣu dānaṃ saṃghāteṣu bhedaḥ śaktimatsu daṇḍa iti

Translation

Against an enemy: conciliation applied to ministers who are suspicious (and wavering) prevents the need to employ the remaining measures; toward ministers who are corruptible, use gifts; against consolidated factions, use division; against the powerful, use force (punishment/coercion).

Word by Word

शत्रोःof the enemy

शङ्कितsuspected

अमात्येषुamong ministers/officials

सान्त्वम्conciliation

प्रयुक्तम्when applied

शेषthe remaining

प्रयोगम्application/use

निवर्तयतिstops/causes to desist

दूष्यcorruptible

अमात्येषुamong ministers/officials

दानम्gift/bribe

संघातेषुamong groups/collectives

भेदःdivision/dissension

शक्तिमत्सुamong the powerful

दण्डःpunishment/force

इतिthus

Entities Mentioned

śatru (enemy)

amātya (minister/official)

saṃghāta (faction/combination)

sāntva

dāna

bheda

daṇḍa

FAQs

What is the core operational rule in this sutra?

Match the instrument to the target type: reassure the doubtful, buy the corruptible, split cohesive blocs, and coerce those whose power makes softer measures ineffective.