Vinayaadhikaarika Adhyaya 1 Sutra 6 - Arthashastra | English | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 6

Devanagari script

कारुकरक्षणम् वैदेहकरक्षणमुपनिपातप्रतीकारः गूढाजीविनां रक्षा सिद्धव्यञ्जनैर्माणवप्रकाशनं शङ्कारूपकर्माभिग्रहः कZ_०१.१.०६अ ॥

Transliteration

kārukarakṣaṇam vaidehakarakṣaṇam upanipāta-pratīkāraḥ gūḍhājīvināṃ rakṣā siddha-vyañjanair māṇava-prakāśanaṃ śaṅkā-rūpa-karmābhigrahaḥ

Translation

Protection of artisans; protection of merchants; countering sudden calamities/attacks; safeguarding covert operatives; exposing disguised persons through pre-arranged signs; and apprehending suspicious persons engaged in acts that indicate danger.

Word by Word

कारुक-रक्षणम्protection of artisans

वैदेहक-रक्षणम्protection of the vaidehakas (a designated professional group)

उपनिपात-प्रतीकारःcountermeasure against sudden incidents/attacks

गूढ-आजीविनाम्of undercover agents (secret operatives)

रक्षाprotection

सिद्ध-व्यञ्जनैःby established signs/indicators

माणव-प्रकाशनम्identification/disclosure of trainees/young men (māṇavas)

शङ्का-रूप-कर्म-अभिग्रहःapprehension/seizure for acts that take the form of suspicion

Entities Mentioned

artisans (kāruka)

merchants/traders (vaidehaka)

covert agents/spies (gūḍhājīvin)

suspicious persons (śaṅkā-rūpa)

FAQs

What is the strategic objective (Artha) of this verse?

To secure the state’s productive economy (crafts and commerce) while hardening internal security through rapid crisis response, protection of intelligence assets, reliable identification methods, and timely detention of suspicious actors.

How does this apply to modern governance?

It maps to protecting critical economic sectors (SMEs, supply chains, markets), establishing emergency management for sudden incidents, safeguarding undercover and confidential informants, using authentication protocols (secure IDs, signals, verification), and enabling risk-based policing subject to legal safeguards.

What is the specific duty of the ruler/official mentioned?

To ensure protection of key economic groups, organize countermeasures for sudden threats, maintain the safety and secrecy of covert operatives, implement reliable methods to detect impostors, and authorize apprehension when conduct creates credible security suspicion.