Sutra 12
परिव्राजकस्य जितेन्द्रियत्वमनारम्भो निष्किंचनत्वं सङ्गत्यागो भैक्षव्रतमनेकत्रारण्ये च वासो बाह्याभ्यन्तरं च शौचम् ॥ कZ_०१.३.१२ ॥
parivrājakasya jitendriyatvam anārambho niṣkiṃcanatvaṃ saṅgatyāgo bhaikṣavratam anekatrāraṇye ca vāso bāhyābhyantaraṃ ca śaucam
For a wandering ascetic (parivrājaka), the discipline consists of: control of the senses, non-initiation of undertakings, freedom from possessions, renunciation of association, living by alms, dwelling in various places—especially in the forest—and purity both external and internal.
FAQs
To define a rigorous template of self-discipline and non-attachment that supports trustworthy conduct; Kautilya treats personal restraint and integrity as foundational inputs for effective statecraft and stable governance.
It maps to modern integrity frameworks: conflict-of-interest controls (possessionlessness), limits on undue influence (renouncing associations), ethical fitness (internal purity), and compliance/hygiene standards (external purity), all of which reduce corruption and improve administrative reliability.
No ruler or office-holder is directly tasked here; the verse specifies the conduct-code of a wandering ascetic as an ethical benchmark, implying that those advising or serving the state should cultivate comparable self-control, low attachment, and moral cleanliness to protect decision-making from bias and capture.