Sutra 10

Devanagari script

क्रियाविपन्नो व्यालः शुद्धः सुव्रतो विषमः सर्वदोषप्रदुष्टश्च ॥ कZ_०२.३२.१० ॥

Transliteration

kriyāvipanno vyālaḥ śuddhaḥ suvrato viṣamaḥ sarvadoṣapraduṣṭaś ca

Translation

Elephants are (administratively) classified as: unfit for work, dangerous, tractable/pure, well-trained/obedient, irregular/unpredictable, and wholly corrupted by faults.

Word by Word

• क्रियाविपन्नः: failed in duty / ineffective in action
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि√पद् (पद्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिसदृश-विशेषणरूपेण ‘व्यालः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; ‘क्रिया’ (स्त्री) + ‘विपन्न’ (कृदन्त, क्त)

• व्यालः: a villain / dangerous person (lit. a serpent, wild beast)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याल
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन

• शुद्धः: pure / clean (apparently blameless)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √शुध्/शुच् (शुद्ध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; ‘व्यालः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• सुव्रतः: of good vows / well-disciplined
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रत
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; सु- उपसर्ग + व्रत; ‘व्यालः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• विषमः: uneven; crooked; unfair
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषम
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; ‘व्यालः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• सर्वदोषप्रदुष्टः: corrupted/tainted by every fault
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र√दुष् (दुष्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; ‘सर्वदोष’ (समाहार) + ‘प्रदुष्ट’ (कृदन्त, क्त); ‘व्यालः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

Entities Mentioned

• elephants

More Details

FAQs

Why does Kauṭilya classify elephants into multiple behavioral/fitness categories?

To standardize handling and deployment decisions—especially safety controls, training needs, and suitability for labor or war.