Vinayaadhikaarika Adhyaya 14 Sutra 3 - Arthashastra | English | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 3

Devanagari script

स्वयमुपहतः विप्रकृतः पापकर्माभिख्यातः तुल्यदोषदण्डेनोद्विग्नः पर्यात्तभूमिः दण्डेनोपनतः सर्वाधिकरणस्थः सहसोपचितार्थः तत्कुलीनोपाशंसुः प्रद्विष्टो राज्ञा राजद्वेषी च इति भीतवर्गः ॥ कZ_०१.१४.०३ ॥

Transliteration

svayam upahataḥ viprakṛtaḥ pāpakarmābhikhyātaḥ tulyadoṣa-daṇḍenodvignaḥ paryātta-bhūmiḥ daṇḍenopanataḥ sarvādhikaraṇa-sthaḥ sahasopacitārthaḥ tatkulīnopāśaṃsuḥ pradviṣṭo rājñā rāja-dveṣī ca iti bhītavargaḥ

Translation

The ‘fearful class’ consists of persons: personally injured or wronged; notorious for misconduct; anxious due to punishment for a comparable offense; whose land has been taken over; brought to submission by coercion; placed in all departments (thus exposed); who have amassed wealth by violence; who boast of high lineage; who are hated by the king and who also hate the king.

Word by Word

स्वयम्oneself; personally

उपहतःinjured; harmed; struck

विप्रकृतःmaltreated; wronged; ill-treated

पापकर्माभिख्यातःnotorious as a doer of evil deeds; known for sinful acts

तुल्यदोषदण्डेनby a punishment equal to the offence

उद्विग्नःagitated; alarmed; distressed

पर्याप्तभूमिःhaving sufficient land/means; well-provided with land

दण्डेनby punishment; by the rod (state coercion)

उपनतःbrought under control; subdued; made to submit

सर्वाधिकरणस्थःstationed in/connected with all offices (departments); present in every administrative seat

सहसाsuddenly; forcibly; rashly

उपचितार्थःone who has accumulated wealth/resources

तत्कुलीनोपाशंसुःa flatterer/praiser of that (same) noble family; one who praises that lineage

प्रद्विष्टःhated; detested; one who is hated

राज्ञाby the king

राजद्वेषीone who hates the king; king-hater

चand

इतिthus

भीतवर्गःthe frightened class/group (of persons)

Entities Mentioned

king

officials across departments

coercive actors

FAQs

How does ‘fear’ function as a recruitment lever here?

Fear creates urgency and compliance: people facing punishment, exposure, or confiscation are more open to covert deals, protection promises, or blackmail.

What administrative safeguard is implied?

Reduce arbitrary coercion, ensure proportional punishment, and limit over-concentration of access across departments to lower blackmail and leakage risk.