Sutra 13

Devanagari script

अराजबीजी लुब्धः क्षुद्रपरिषत्को विरक्तप्रकृतिरन्यायवृत्तिरयुक्तो व्यसनी निरुत्साहो दैवप्रमाणो यत्किंचनकार्यगतिरननुबन्धः क्लीबो नित्यापकारी चेत्यमित्रसम्पत् ॥ कZ_०६.१.१३ ॥

Transliteration

arājabījī lubdhaḥ kṣudrapariṣatko viraktaprakṛtir anyāyavṛttir ayukto vyasanī nirutsāho daivapramāṇo yatkiṃcanakāryagatir ananubandhaḥ klībo nityāpakārī cety amitra-sampat

Translation

The assets (exploitable weaknesses) of an enemy are these: lacking royal lineage/legitimacy, greedy, served by a petty council, having subjects/constituents who are disaffected, acting unjustly, undisciplined/unmethodical, addicted to vices, lacking energy, relying on fate as the deciding proof, pursuing trivial or aimless undertakings, lacking continuity/follow-through, impotent/cowardly, and habitually harmful.

Word by Word

अराजबीजीone who lacks royal legitimacy/dynastic basis

लुब्धःgreedy

क्षुद्रपरिषत्कःhaving a petty/mean council (advisers)

विरक्तप्रकृतिःwhose constituent elements/subjects are alienated

अन्यायवृत्तिःone whose conduct is unjust

अयुक्तःunfit; undisciplined

व्यसनीaddicted to vices

निरुत्साहःlacking energy/initiative

दैवप्रमाणःone who takes fate as the sole authority (fatalistic)

यत्किंचनकार्यगतिःone whose activity is confined to trivial tasks

अननुबन्धःlacking foresight/continuity (no regard for consequences)

क्लीबःcowardly; impotent in action

नित्यापकारीconstantly harmful/malicious

चand

इतिthus (marking the list)

अमित्रसम्पत्the enemy’s assets/strength (i.e., such is the enemy’s endowment)

Entities Mentioned

amitra (enemy)

pariṣad (council)

prakṛti (constituents of the state)

FAQs

How does Kautilya link internal governance to external vulnerability in 6.1.13?

He treats poor legitimacy, unjust rule, disaffected constituents, and vice-driven leadership as exploitable weaknesses that make the enemy easier to destabilize or defeat.

What is the administrative meaning of 'kṣudrapariṣatka' (petty council)?

It signals low-quality advisers and decision-making structures, increasing policy errors and making the regime easier to outmaneuver.