Sutra 33

Devanagari script

दुर्गकोशव्यसनयोः कोशव्यसनमिति पिशुनः ॥ कZ_०८.१.३३ ॥

Transliteration

durgakośavyasanayoḥ kośavyasanamiti piśunaḥ

Translation

Between calamity of the fort and calamity of the treasury, (some say) the treasury-calamity is worse—so says the informer/slanderer (piśuna).

Word by Word

• दुर्ग: fort; fortified place
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्ग
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• कोश: treasury; royal finances
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• व्यसनयोः: of/among the two calamities (disasters)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यसन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी/सप्तमी द्विवचन (योः)

• कोश: treasury
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• व्यसनम्: calamity/distress (specifically, treasury-distress)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यसन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

• इति: thus; as (it is) said
• Type: Particle
• Root: इति
• Form: निपात; उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्त्यर्थक

• पिशुनः: the pishuna (slanderer/informer)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशुन
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

Entities Mentioned

• durga
• kośa
• piśuna

More Details

FAQs

Why mention 'piśuna' as the speaker?

Kautilya often attributes claims to types of actors to signal bias; an informer may push treasury-centered claims to influence allocations or court decisions.