Sutra 20

Devanagari script

उत्साहहीनः श्रेणीप्रवीरपुरुषाणां चोरगणाटविकम्लेच्छजातीनां परापकारिणां गूढपुरुषाणां च यथालाब्भमुपचयं कुर्वीत ॥ कZ_०७.१४.२७ ॥

Transliteration

utsāhahīnaḥ śreṇīpravīrapuruṣāṇāṃ coragaṇāṭavikamlecchajātīnāṃ parāpakāriṇāṃ gūḍhapuruṣāṇāṃ ca yathālābbhamupacayaṃ kurvīta

Translation

If lacking drive/initiative (utsāha), he should, as available, build up (augment) his capacity by drawing upon: capable men from guilds, bands of thieves, forest-dwellers, frontier ‘mleccha’ groups, those inclined to harm the enemy, and secret agents.

Word by Word

उत्साहहीनःone who is lacking in initiative/energy

श्रेणीof guilds

प्रवीरपुरुषाणाम्of leading men/champions

चोरगणof bands of thieves

आटविकof forest-tribes/forest people

म्लेच्छजातीनाम्of mleccha peoples/tribes

परापकारिणाम्of those who do harm to others

गूढपुरुषाणाम्of concealed men; secret agents

चand

यथाaccording to; as

लाभम्gain; profit

उपचयम्increase; accumulation

कुर्वीतshould do; should bring about

Entities Mentioned

śreṇī (guilds)

cora-gaṇa (thief bands)

āṭavika (forest groups)

mleccha-jāti (frontier groups)

gūḍhapuruṣa (spies/agents)

FAQs

What is the policy mechanism implied by ‘upacaya’ in this verse?

Incremental capacity-building by co-opting available human networks—formal (guilds) and informal/irregular (bands, frontier groups), plus intelligence assets.

How should a ruler interpret this ethically and administratively?

As a realist contingency tool: co-opt and regulate disruptive groups to redirect their capabilities toward state objectives, while managing risks through oversight and intelligence.