Sutra 11

Devanagari script

पितृपैतामहो नित्यो वश्यस्तुष्टभृतपुत्रदारः प्रवासेष्वविसंवादितः सर्वत्राप्रतिहतो दुःखसहो बहुयुद्धः सर्वयुद्धप्रहरणविद्याविशारदः सहवृद्धिक्षयिकत्वादद्वैध्यः क्षत्रप्राय इति दण्डसम्पत् ॥ कZ_०६.१.११ ॥

Transliteration

pitṛpaitāmaho nityo vaśyas tuṣṭabhṛtaputradāraḥ pravāseṣv avisaṃvāditaḥ sarvatrāpratihato duḥkhasaho bahuyuddhaḥ sarvayuddhapraharaṇavidyāviśāradaḥ sahavṛddhikṣayikatvād advaidhyaḥ kṣatraprāya iti daṇḍasampat

Translation

The excellence of coercive power (daṇḍa) is this: it is hereditary and permanent (institutionally continuous); disciplined and controllable; with satisfied troops whose dependents (sons and wives) are provided for; reliable even when deployed away from home; unobstructed in all places (operationally capable); able to endure hardship; experienced in many battles; skilled in all modes of warfare and weaponry; not liable to split or become double-minded because it shares in both gains and losses; and predominantly composed of trained warrior elements—this is daṇḍa-sampat.

Word by Word

पितृपैतामहःhereditary (coming from father and grandfather)

नित्यःconstant, permanent

वश्यःamenable, obedient, controllable

तुष्टभृतपुत्रदारःone whose servants, sons, and wife/wives are contented

प्रवासेषुduring absences / while away (on journeys)

अविसंवादितःnot deceitful; not one who breaks trust/agreements

सर्वत्रeverywhere, in all situations

अप्रतिहतःunobstructed, unrepulsed, undefeated

दुःखसहःenduring hardship

बहुयुद्धःexperienced in many battles

सर्वयुद्धप्रहरणविद्याविशारदःskilled in all kinds of warfare and in the sciences/techniques of weapons

सहtogether with; owing to

वृद्धिincrease, prosperity

क्षयिकत्वात्because of being liable to decline/decay

अद्वैध्यःnot wavering; not double-minded; not in a state of divided loyalty

क्षत्रप्रायःpredominantly kshatriya-like; mostly martial in character

इतिthus

दण्डसम्पत्the excellence/qualification of coercive power (danda)

Entities Mentioned

daṇḍa (coercive power/army)

bhṛta (paid troops)

FAQs

What is the governance logic behind providing for soldiers’ families?

It reduces desertion and disloyalty, increases morale, and ties the army’s interests to the stability of the state.

How does ‘sahavṛddhikṣayikatvāt advaidhyaḥ’ function as a loyalty mechanism?

When the force shares both rewards and hardships with the ruler/state, it has fewer incentives to factionalize or switch allegiance.