Vinayaadhikaarika Adhyaya 14 Sutra 9 - Arthashastra | English | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 9

Devanagari script

यथा श्वगणिनां धेनुः श्वभ्यो दुह्यते न ब्राह्मणेभ्यः एवमयं राजा सत्त्वप्रज्ञावाक्यशक्तिहीनेभ्यो दुह्यते नात्मगुणसम्पन्नेभ्यः असौ राजा पुरुषविशेषज्ञः तत्र गम्यतामिति लुब्धवर्गं उपजापयेत् ॥ कZ_०१.१४.०९ ॥

Transliteration

yathā śvagaṇināṃ dhenuḥ śvabhyo duhyate na brāhmaṇebhyaḥ evam ayaṃ rājā sattvaprajñāvākyaśaktihīnebhyo duhyate nātmaguṇasampannebhyaḥ asau rājā puruṣaviśeṣajñaḥ tatra gamyatām iti lubdhavargaṃ upajāpayet

Translation

As a cow owned by dog-keepers is milked for dogs, not for Brahmins—so this king is “milked” by those lacking character, intelligence, and persuasive capacity, not by those endowed with personal merit. That other king knows how to judge men; go there—thus one should suborn the greedy set.

Word by Word

यथाjust as; as

श्वगणिनाम्of dog-keepers / of a pack of dogs (i.e., those associated with dogs)

धेनुःa milch-cow

श्वभ्यःfor dogs; to dogs

दुह्यतेis milked; yields milk (to)

नnot

ब्राह्मणेभ्यःfor Brahmins; to Brahmins

एवम्thus; in the same way

अयम्this

राजाking

सत्त्वप्रज्ञावाक्यशक्तिहीनेभ्यःfrom those who lack character/steadfastness, intelligence, speech, and capability

दुह्यतेis milked/exploited; yields (benefit)

नnot

आत्मगुणसम्पन्नेभ्यःfrom those endowed with their own virtues (good qualities)

असौthat (aforementioned)

राजाking

पुरुषविशेषज्ञःknower of individual types of men; judge of persons

तत्रthere; in that matter

गम्यताम्let (him) be approached; let one go (to him)

इतिthus; saying so

लुब्धवर्गम्the greedy faction/group

उपजापयेत्he should induce/bring over (by secret persuasion); should win over

Entities Mentioned

lubdhavarga (greedy faction)

rājā (king)

brāhmaṇa (as normative 'deserving' archetype)

FAQs

What administrative pathology is highlighted by the ‘milked by the unworthy’ image?

State resources and access are captured by low-capacity, low-integrity courtiers, producing rent-seeking and driving competent actors away.

Why introduce a rival king as ‘puruṣaviśeṣajña’?

To create an attractive alternative patron who ‘recognizes merit,’ making defection feel rational and profitable.