Sutra 24

Devanagari script

कृत्यपक्षोपजापमकृत्यपक्षे गूढप्रणिधानं रागापरागौ भर्तरि रन्ध्रं च प्रकृतीनां तापसवैदेहकव्यञ्जनाभ्यामुपलभेत तयोरन्तेवासिभिश्चिकित्सकपाषण्डव्यञ्जनोभयवेतनैर्वा ॥ कZ_०१.१६.२४ ॥

Transliteration

kṛtyapakṣopajāpam akṛtyapakṣe gūḍhapraṇidhānaṃ rāgāparāgau bhartari randhraṃ ca prakṛtīnāṃ tāpasavaidehakavyañjanābhyām upalabheta tayor antevāsibhiś cikitsakapāṣaṇḍavyañjanobhayavetanair vā.

Translation

To induce defection toward the “rightful/king’s cause” and to plant covert agents in the “wrongful/opponent’s side”, the king should ascertain the constituents’ (prakṛtis’) attachment or aversion toward their master and the vulnerabilities (randhra) within them, by using agents disguised as ascetics and as Vaidehaka operatives; or through their pupils/disciples, through agents disguised as physicians and heterodox mendicants, or through double-paid agents.

Word by Word

कृत्यपक्षेin the loyal/‘to-be-done’ faction (the king’s side)

उपजापम्secret inducement/instigation (to win over)

अकृत्यपक्षेin the hostile/‘not-to-be-done’ faction (opposition side)

गूढप्रणिधानम्covert placement/assignment (of spies)

रागापरागौattachment and non-attachment (favour and disfavour)

भर्तरिtowards/in the master (the king)

रन्ध्रम्a weak point/vulnerability

चand

प्रकृतीनाम्of the state’s constituents (prakṛtis)

तापसby (means of) an ascetic

वैदेहकand a vaidehaka (a particular agent/disguise type)

व्यञ्जनाभ्याम्by means of (their) disguises

उपलभेतshould ascertain/find out

तयोःof those two / in those two

अन्तेवासिभिःby (their) resident pupils/disciples

चिकित्सकby physicians

पाषण्डby sectarians/heretics

व्यञ्जनby (their) disguises

उभयवेतनैःby double-paid (agents)

वाor

Entities Mentioned

king

prakṛtis (state constituents)

ascetic-disguised agents

Vaidehaka-disguised agents

pupils/disciples

physician-disguised agents

pāṣaṇḍa-disguised agents

double-paid agents

FAQs

What is the administrative intent of this sūtra?

To institutionalize loyalty assessment and controlled defection operations using layered intelligence covers, while identifying exploitable vulnerabilities in key constituencies.

What is ‘randhra’ in governance terms?

Actionable weakness—personal, financial, moral, or procedural—through which an official or group can be influenced, neutralized, or recruited.