Sutra 45

Devanagari script

उपकारेऽनिविष्टं वाशक्तं वानुपकारि तत् ॥ कZ_०७.९.४५च्द् ॥

Transliteration

upakāre 'niviṣṭaṃ vā aśaktaṃ vā anupakāri tat

Translation

If it is not committed to rendering assistance, or is incapable, then in practice it is non-assisting.

Word by Word

• उपकारे: in/with regard to a benefit (service)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपकार
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-एकवचन

• अनिविष्टम्: not engaged (not committed/entered)
• Type: Participle
• Root: नि√विश् (निविश्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन; नकार-उपसर्गेण निषेधः (a-niviṣṭa)

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive ‘or’)

• अशक्तम्: incapable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्
• Form: नकारान्त-निषेध (a-śakta); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन

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

• अनुपकारि: not rendering a return benefit; non-reciprocating
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपकारिन्
• Form: नकारान्त-निषेध (an-upakārin); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन

• तत्: that (such a person/thing)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन

Entities Mentioned

• mitra (implied ally)

More Details

FAQs

What two factors does Kautilya use to judge whether an ally will help?

Intent (is it committed to helping?) and capacity (is it able to help?). Failure in either makes it effectively non-helpful.