Sutra 29

Devanagari script

सामन्तो बलवतः प्रतिघातोऽन्तर्धिः प्रतिवेशो वा बलवतः पार्ष्णिग्राहो वा स्वयमुपनतः प्रतापोपनतो वा दण्डोपनत इति भृत्यभाविनः सामन्ताः ॥ कZ_०७.१८.२९ब् ॥

Transliteration

sāmanto balavataḥ pratighāto'ntardhiḥ prativeśo vā balavataḥ pārṣṇigrāho vā svayam-upanataḥ pratāpa-upanato vā daṇḍa-upanata iti bhṛtyabhāvinaḥ sāmantāḥ

Translation

Subordinate frontier kings (sāmantas) who are inclined to servitude are: for a powerful ruler—(a neighbor who serves as) a counter-check, a buffer/cover (concealment), or an adjacent neighbor; for a powerful ruler also—a rear-enemy (pārṣṇigrāha) who submits; and those who submit of their own accord, submit due to one’s prestige, or submit due to coercive force.

Word by Word

सामन्तःa neighbouring/feudatory king

बलवतःof the powerful (king)

प्रतिघातःa counter-stroke / resistance (as a type of neighbour)

अन्तर्धिःconcealment / a hidden (adversary)

प्रतिवेशःa next-door neighbour (king)

वाor

बलवतःof the powerful (king)

पार्ष्णिग्राहःa rear-enemy / one who attacks from behind

वाor

स्वयम्of his own accord

उपनतःsubmitted / having come over

प्रतापोपनतःsubdued by (the king’s) prowess

वाor

दण्डोपनतःsubdued by punishment/force

इतिthus

भृत्यभाविनःhaving the status/condition of servants (dependents)

सामन्ताः(such) neighbouring/feudatory kings

Entities Mentioned

sāmanta

balavat (powerful king)

pārṣṇigrāha

daṇḍa

prativeśa

FAQs

What administrative insight is embedded in the submission modes?

Kautilya distinguishes compliance by consent, prestige, and coercion—each implies different monitoring costs and stability; coercion-based submission is least reliable long-term.