Sutra 13

Devanagari script

अरन्ध्रव्यसनो वा ज्यायान्दुरारब्धकर्माणं भूयः क्षयव्ययाभ्यां योक्तुकामो दूष्यदण्डं प्रवासयितुकामो दूष्यदण्डमावाहयितुकामो वा पीडनीयमुच्छेदनीयं वा हीनेन व्यथयितुकामः संधिप्रधानो वा कल्याणबुद्धिर्हीनं लाभं प्रतिगृह्णीयात् ॥ कZ_०७.७.१३ ॥

Transliteration

arandhravyasano vā jyāyān durārabdhakarmāṇaṃ bhūyaḥ kṣayavyayābhyāṃ yoktukāmo dūṣyadaṇḍaṃ pravāsayitukāmo dūṣyadaṇḍam āvāhayitukāmo vā pīḍanīyam ucchedanīyaṃ vā hīnena vyathayitukāmaḥ saṃdhipradhāno vā kalyāṇabuddhir hīnaṃ lābhaṃ pratigṛhṇīyāt

Translation

A stronger ruler, free from vulnerabilities and calamity, may accept an inferior gain when he aims to bind an opponent who has undertaken a difficult enterprise to further loss and expenditure, or when he intends to exile a corrupt/hostile power-holder (dūṣya-daṇḍa), or to draw that corrupt element into his own jurisdiction, or when he seeks to distress a target fit for pressure or elimination by using a lesser concession; likewise, one who prioritizes treaty-making, if well‑intentioned, may accept a lesser gain.

Word by Word

अरन्ध्रव्यसनःone whose vice/obsession is unremitting (leaves no opening)

वाor

ज्यायान्superior; stronger; more powerful

दुरारब्धकर्माणम्a man whose undertakings are badly begun

भूयःagain; further; moreover

क्षयव्ययाभ्याम्by loss and expenditure

योक्तुकामःdesirous to involve (him)

दूष्यदण्डम्a punishable/culpable person (liable to penalty)

प्रवासयितुकामःdesirous to send into exile

दूष्यदण्डम्a punishable person

आवाहयितुकामःdesirous to summon (him)

वाor

पीडनीयम्one who should be harassed/oppressed

उच्छेदनीयम्one who should be cut off/eliminated

वाor

हीनेनby an inferior (person/means)

व्यथयितुकामःdesirous to distress/torment

सन्धिप्रधानःone who gives primacy to treaty/peace

वाor

कल्याणबुद्धिःone of good judgment/intent

हीनम्inferior; lesser

लाभम्gain; profit; advantage

प्रतिगृह्णीयात्should accept

Entities Mentioned

stronger ruler (jyāyān)

opponent in hard enterprise

dūṣya-daṇḍa (corrupt/hostile power-holder)

targets for pressure (pīḍanīya) or elimination (ucchedanīya)

FAQs

How can accepting a lesser gain be strategically advantageous for a stronger ruler?

It can function as a tool to increase the opponent’s long-run costs (attrition), enable exile/co-optation of dangerous actors, or soften a target for later pressure or removal.