Sutra 13

Devanagari script

तत्र धर्मोपधाशुद्धान्धर्मस्थीयकण्टकशोधनेषु कर्मसु स्थापयेत् अर्थोपधाशुद्धान् समाहर्तृसम्निधातृनिचयकर्मसु कामोपधा शुद्धान्बाह्याभ्यन्तरविहाररक्षासु भयोपधाशुद्धानासन्नकार्येषु राज्ञः ॥ कZ_०१.१०.१३ ॥

Transliteration

tatra dharmopadhāśuddhān dharmasthīya-kaṇṭakaśodhaneṣu karmasu sthāpayet; arthopadhāśuddhān samāhartṛ-samnidhātṛ-nicaya-karmasu; kāmopadhāśuddhān bāhyābhyantara-vihāra-rakṣāsu; bhayopadhāśuddhān āsanna-kāryeṣu rājñaḥ.

Translation

There, those found pure in the dharma-test should be placed in offices of justice and in removing ‘thorns’ (public nuisances/criminals). Those pure in the artha-test should be placed in revenue collection, treasury custody, and storehouse/accumulation functions. Those pure in the kāma-test should be employed in guarding the king’s external and internal pleasures and movements. Those pure in the fear-test should be assigned to the king’s close and urgent duties.

Word by Word

तत्रthere; in that context/department

धर्मोपधाशुद्धान्those found pure by the dharma-test

धर्मस्थीयकण्टकशोधनेषुin (matters of) the Dharmasthīya and the Kaṇṭakaśodhana (departments)

कर्मसुin duties/works

स्थापयेत्should appoint

अर्थोपधाशुद्धान्those found pure by the artha-test

समाहर्तृसम्निधातृनिचयकर्मसुin the duties of the collector, treasurer, and storage/accumulation

कामोपधाशुद्धान्those found pure by the kāma-test

बाह्याभ्यन्तरविहाररक्षासुin protections/security for external and internal movement/roaming

भयोपधाशुद्धान्those found pure by the fear-test

आसन्नकार्येषुin urgent/imminent tasks

राज्ञःof the king

Entities Mentioned

rājā

amātya

samāhartṛ

samnidhātṛ

FAQs

What is the administrative logic behind assigning different ‘cleared’ officials to different departments?

Kauṭilya matches the dominant verified restraint (toward duty, money, pleasure, or fear) to the risk profile of the post, creating a trust-calibrated bureaucracy.

What does ‘kaṇṭakaśodhana’ imply in governance terms?

Systematic removal of disruptive elements—criminals, corrupt actors, and public nuisances—through policing, investigation, and adjudication.