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Sutra 6

Devanagari script

वाग्मी प्रगल्भः स्मृतिमतिबलवानुदग्रः स्ववग्रहः कृतशिल्पोऽव्यसनो दण्डनाय्युपकारापकारयोर्दृष्टप्रतीकारी ह्रीमानापत्प्रकृत्योर्विनियोक्ता दीर्घदूरदर्शी देशकालपुरुषकारकार्यप्रधानः संधिविक्रमत्यागसम्यमपणपरच्छिद्रविभागी संवृतोऽदीनाभिहास्यजिह्मभ्रुकुटीक्षणः कामक्रोधलोभस्तम्भचापलोपतापपैशुन्यहीनः शक्लः स्मितोदग्राभिभाषी वृद्धोपदेशाचार इत्यात्मसम्पत् ॥ कZ_०६.१.०६ ॥

Transliteration

vāgmī pragalbhaḥ smṛtimatibalavānudagraḥ svavagrahaḥ kṛtaśilpo'vyasano daṇḍanāyy upakārāpakārayor dṛṣṭapratīkārī hrīmān āpatprakṛtyor viniyoktā dīrghadūradarśī deśakālapuruṣakārakāryapradhānaḥ saṃdhivikramatyāgasamyamapaṇaparacchidravibhāgī saṃvṛto'dīnābhihāsyajihmabhrukuṭīkṣaṇaḥ kāmakrodhalobhastambhacāpalopatāpapaiśunyahīnaḥ śaklaḥ smitodagrābhibhāṣī vṛddhopadeśācāra ity ātmasampat

Translation

The ruler’s personal endowment (ātma-sampat) consists of: eloquence; confidence; strong memory and intellect; physical and moral strength; high-mindedness; self-control; training in arts/skills; freedom from vices/addictions; capacity to apply punishment properly; visible and timely reciprocity in response to benefit and harm; modesty/shame (moral restraint); ability to deploy resources appropriately in both normal times and emergencies; long-range vision; prioritizing action based on place, time, personnel, effort, and the task at hand; ability to differentiate and apply peace-making, force, concession, restraint, commerce, and the exploitation of an adversary’s vulnerabilities; discretion and guardedness; composure without dejection, ridicule, crookedness, or hostile frowning looks; freedom from lust, anger, greed, arrogance, fickleness, malice, envy, and slander; a pleasing presence; speech that is warm and measured with a gentle smile; and conduct guided by elders’ instruction—this is ātma-sampat.

Word by Word

वाग्मीeloquent; possessing command of speech

प्रगल्भःbold; confident; self-possessed

स्मृतिमत्having good memory; mindful

बलवान्strong; powerful

उदग्रःenergetic; high-spirited; elevated

स्ववग्रहःself-controlled; having restraint over oneself

कृतशिल्पःtrained; skilled; educated in arts/skills

अव्यसनःfree from vices/addictions

दण्डनायीable to administer punishment; skilled in penal policy

उपकारbenefit; service; help

अपकारयोःharm; injury; wrongdoing

दृष्टप्रतीकारीone who responds appropriately to evident benefit or harm; prompt in countermeasures

ह्रीमान्modest; possessing a sense of shame/propriety

आपत्calamity; crisis

प्रकृत्योःof the state-elements (prakṛtis)

विनियोक्ताan assigner/administrator; one who deploys resources appropriately

दीर्घदूरदर्शीfar-sighted; able to foresee long-range outcomes

देशकालपुरुषकारकार्यप्रधानःone who gives primacy to place, time, human effort, and the nature of the task

सन्धिtreaty/peace (as a policy option)

विक्रमadvance/attack; exertion of force

त्यागconcession; relinquishment; giving up

सम्यमrestraint; self-control/holding back

अपणmarket; trading place

परच्छिद्रenemy’s weak points/vulnerabilities

विभागीdiscerning; able to distinguish and allocate appropriately (among policies/contexts)

संवृतःguarded; discreet; self-contained

अदीनःnot dejected; not mean-spirited

अभिहास्यnot laughable; not a subject of ridicule

अजिह्मnot crooked; straightforward

भ्रुकुटीक्षणःwith a frown/knitted-brow look (i.e., stern in appearance when needed)

कामdesire/lust

क्रोधanger

लोभgreed

स्तम्भstubbornness; arrogance-induced rigidity

चापलfickleness; rashness

उपतापdistress; vexation; anxiety

पैशुन्यslander; malicious gossip; tale-bearing

हीनःdevoid of; free from

शक्लःwell-formed; of good appearance/physique

स्मितsmile; gentle smiling

उदग्रuplifted/bright (tone)

अभिभाषीspeaks in a pleasant, bright manner; courteous speaker

वृद्धelders; seniors

उपदेशinstruction; counsel

आचारःone whose conduct follows elders’ instruction; disciplined by counsel

इतिthus; so (marking the end of the list)

आत्मसम्पत्personal endowments/qualities (of the ruler/minister)

Entities Mentioned

svāmin (ruler)

para (adversary/enemy)

FAQs

What administrative principle is implied by ‘āpat-prakṛtyor viniyoktā’?

Capacity-based allocation: the ruler must reassign funds, personnel, and priorities differently in emergencies versus normal administration.

How should ‘upakārāpakārayor dṛṣṭapratīkārī’ be read politically?

As credibility management: rewarding service and responding to harm in visible, timely ways to shape incentives and deter opportunism.