Sutra 24

Devanagari script

ज्यायान्वा हीनं यातव्यापदेशेन हस्ते कर्तुकामः परमुच्छिद्य वा तमेवोच्छेत्तुकामः त्यागं वा कृत्वा प्रत्यादातुकामो बलसमाद्विशिष्टेन लाभेन पणेत ॥ कZ_०७.७.२४ ॥

Transliteration

jyāyānvā hīnaṃ yātavyāpadeśena haste kartukāmaḥ paramucchidya vā tamevocchettukāmaḥ tyāgaṃ vā kṛtvā pratyādātukāmo balasamādviśiṣṭena lābhena paṇeta

Translation

If he wishes to bring a stronger or weaker ruler into his hand under the pretext of setting out on campaign; or, after eliminating the principal enemy, wishes to eliminate that very ruler; or, having made a concession, wishes later to take it back—he should bargain by offering a gain superior to what parity of power would suggest.

Word by Word

ज्यायान्a stronger/superior (one)

वाor

हीनम्an inferior/weaker (one/thing)

यातव्यto be approached/visited (to be dealt with)

अपदेशेनby a pretext / under the guise (of a reason)

हस्तेin (one’s) hand; under control

कर्तुकामःwishing to make (him/it) one’s own; wishing to bring under control

परम्the other (party), the enemy

उच्छिद्यhaving cut off; having eliminated

वाor

तम्him

एवindeed; precisely

उच्छेत्तुकामःwishing to cut him off; wishing to destroy him

त्यागम्a relinquishment; a concession

वाor

कृत्वाhaving done; having made

प्रत्यादातुकामःwishing to take back; wishing to recover

बलसमाद्विशिष्टेनby a gain distinguished by force and alliance

लाभेनby gain; with profit

पणेतhe should bargain/negotiate

Entities Mentioned

vijigīṣu (implied)

auxiliary ruler/ally (implied)

principal enemy (implied)

FAQs

What is the function of offering a ‘superior gain’ here?

To induce compliance for control operations (bringing into hand), and to enable later reversal (neutralizing the auxiliary or reclaiming concessions).

What does ‘yātavyāpadeśa’ imply in governance terms?

Using a formally acceptable justification (campaign logistics) to mask a control or containment objective.