Sutra 5

Devanagari script

सत्यं शपथो वा परत्रेह च स्थावरः संधिः इहार्थ एव प्रतिभूः प्रतिग्रहो वा बलापेक्षः ॥ कZ_०७.१७.०५ ॥

Transliteration

satyaṃ śapatho vā paratreha ca sthāvaraḥ saṃdhiḥ ihārtha eva pratibhūḥ pratigraho vā balāpekṣaḥ

Translation

Truthfulness or an oath constitutes a durable treaty both here and hereafter; but a guarantor or a received pledge has force only for this-worldly purposes and depends upon relative power.

Word by Word

• सत्यम्: truth; a truthful statement/assurance
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: सत्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (अव्ययीभाववत् ‘सत्यम्’ = ‘सत्यतः/सत्येन’ अर्थे)

• शपथः: an oath
• Type: Noun
• Root: शपथ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा

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

• परत्र: there; in the other place/world
• Type: Adverb
• Root: परत्र
• Form: देश/कालवाचक अव्यय

• इह: here; in this world/this place
• Type: Adverb
• Root: इह
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• स्थावरः: firm; stable; fixed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थावर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; ‘संधिः’ इति विशेषणम्

• संधिः: alliance/treaty; pact
• Type: Noun
• Root: संधि
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा

• इह: here; in this case
• Type: Adverb
• Root: इह
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय

• अर्थः: benefit; interest; purpose
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा

• एव: only; indeed; precisely
• Type: Particle
• Root: एव
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय

• प्रतिभूः: a surety; guarantor
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिभू
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा

• प्रतिग्रहः: acceptance; receiving (a pledge/undertaking)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिग्रह
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा

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

• बलापेक्षः: dependent on force/strength; contingent on power
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलापेक्ष
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; ‘संधिः’ इति विशेषणम्; समासः: बल-अपेक्ष (षष्ठी/उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

Entities Mentioned

• śapatha (oath)
• pratibhū (guarantor)
• bala (power/strength)

More Details

FAQs

What is Kautilya’s realism in this sutra?

Material guarantees (surety/pledge) work only when backed by power; without strength, enforcement collapses.

Why mention ‘here and hereafter’?

To distinguish moral-religious constraints (oath/truth) from purely strategic constraints; the former claims durability beyond immediate material incentives.