Sutra 17

Devanagari script

वेशशौण्डिकेषु वा प्रतिलोमप्रशंसाभिः संघमुख्यमनुष्याणां तीक्ष्णाः कलहानुत्पादयेयुः कृत्यपक्षोपग्रहेण वा ॥ कZ_११.१.०८ ॥

Transliteration

veśa-śauṇḍikeṣu vā pratiloma-praśaṃsābhiḥ saṃgha-mukhya-manuṣyāṇāṃ tīkṣṇāḥ kalahān utpādayeyuḥ, kṛtya-pakṣopagraheṇa vā

Translation

Or, in brothel and tavern circles, they should incite sharp quarrels among leading saṅgha men through ‘contrary praise’ (backhanded/partisan commendation), or by backing a clique of operatives.

Word by Word

• वेश: brothel / courtesans’ quarter
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• शौण्डिकेषु: among liquor-sellers / tavern-keepers
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौण्डिक
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी बहुवचन

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय

• प्रतिलोम: contrary / perverse
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिलोम
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• प्रशंसाभिः: by praises (i.e., ironic/contrary commendations)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रशंसा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन

• संघ: of an association / guild
• Type: Noun
• Root: संघ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• मुख्य: chief
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुख्य
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; (समासान्त)

• मनुष्याणाम्: of the leading men (chief persons) of the guild
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी बहुवचन; (समस्तपद: संघमुख्यमनुष्याणाम् = संघस्य मुख्या मनुष्याः तेषाम्)

• तीक्ष्णाः: sharp/harsh (persons/agents)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (कर्तृपद)

• कलहान्: quarrels / disputes
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलह
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन

• उत्पादयेयुः: should cause / should instigate
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-पद् (उत्पादयति)
• Form: लिङ् (विधिलिङ्); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; causative (णिच्)

• कृत्य: of an operative / hired agent
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• पक्ष: faction / side
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; (समासमध्यपद)

• उपग्रहेण: by winning over (suborning) the faction through an operative
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपग्रह
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन; (समस्तपद: कृत्यपक्षोपग्रहेण = कृत्यस्य पक्षस्य उपग्रहः तेन)

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय

Entities Mentioned

• saṅgha leaders
• kṛtya (operatives)

More Details

FAQs

What is 'pratiloma-praśaṃsā' as a political technique?

A form of praise designed to provoke jealousy and status anxiety—publicly elevating one person in a way that humiliates or threatens another.