Sutra 28

Devanagari script

परमिश्राप्रतीकारमाबलीयसं वा परेषु प्रयुञ्जीत ॥ कZ_०७.१४.२८ ॥

Transliteration

paramiśrāpratīkāramābalīyasaṃ vā pareṣu prayuñjīta

Translation

Against rivals, he should employ either a supreme mixed counter-measure (a composite response) or a weaker, low-cost measure—whichever is strategically appropriate.

Word by Word

• परमिश्राप्रतीकारम्: a highly mixed/combined and hard-to-counter countermeasure
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतीकार
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; समासः—परमिश्र + अप्रतीकार (नञ्-समास) → परमिश्राप्रतीकारम्

• आबलीयसम्: the stronger (more forceful) one
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: आबलीयस्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; तुलनात्मक-विशेषण (आ-बल + ईयस् प्रत्यय)

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

• परेषु: against enemies / in the case of adversaries
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (पर-शब्दः), बहुवचन, सप्तमी; ‘पर’ = अन्य/शत्रु

• प्रयुञ्जीत: should employ / should apply
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-युज्
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; लट्-आदेशे विधिः—‘should employ/apply’

Entities Mentioned

• rājā (implied)
• pare (rivals/enemies)

More Details

FAQs

What is the policy logic of offering two options—supreme mixed countermeasure or weaker measure?

Kauṭilya advises matching the response to context: use a composite, forceful package when necessary, but prefer a smaller, cheaper measure when it can still achieve the objective.

What does 'miśra-pratīkāra' imply administratively?

It implies combining instruments—diplomacy, money, covert action, and force—into an integrated counter-policy rather than relying on a single tool.