Sutra 33

Devanagari script

उच्छिन्नसंधिस्तत्रेष्टः परव्यसनकाङ्क्षिणः ॥ कZ_०७.३.३३च्द् ॥

Transliteration

ucchinnasaṃdhis tatreṣṭaḥ paravyasanakāṅkṣiṇaḥ

Translation

There, a “broken-off treaty” is preferred for one who seeks the opponent’s distress—i.e., keep peace discontinuous so the rival remains vulnerable.

Word by Word

• उच्छिन्नसन्धिः: one whose treaty/peace-compact has been broken; a treaty-broken (king/enemy)
• Type: Noun (adjectival bahuvrīhi)
• Root: सन्धि
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; बहुव्रीहिः—यस्य सन्धिः उच्छिन्नः सः

• तत्र: there; in that situation/context
• Type: Indeclinable (adverb)
• Root: तत्र
• Form: अव्ययम्; स्थान/प्रसङ्ग-निर्देशः

• इष्टः: is desirable/preferable
• Type: Adjective/PPP used predicatively
• Root: इष् (इच्छा) / √इष् (to desire)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; (इष्-धातोः) क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः—‘इष्ट’ = प्रिय/वाञ्छित

• परव्यसनकाङ्क्षिणः: of one who longs for another’s misfortune/calamity
• Type: Noun/Adjective (agentive)
• Root: काङ्क्ष्
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; काङ्क्षिन्-प्रातिपदिकम्; समासः: परस्य व्यसनम् इति परव्यसनम्, तस्य काङ्क्षी = परव्यसनकाङ्क्षी

Entities Mentioned

• opponent/enemy (para)

More Details

FAQs

Why would a state prefer a ‘broken’ treaty?

If the strategic goal is to keep the adversary off-balance—prevent consolidation, exploit shocks, and reopen leverage points when advantageous.

How does this fit Kautilya’s realism?

Treaties are instruments, not moral commitments; their value is judged by power outcomes and security effects.