Sutra 41

Devanagari script

कोशदण्डव्यसनयोर्दण्डव्यसनमिति कौणपदन्तः ॥ कZ_०८.१.४१ ॥

Transliteration

kośadaṇḍavyasanayor daṇḍavyasanam iti kauṇapadantaḥ.

Translation

Between calamity to the treasury and calamity to the coercive apparatus, Kauṇapadanta holds that calamity to the coercive apparatus is worse.

Word by Word

• कोश: treasury; state finances
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया/सम्बोधन एकवचन (प्रातिपदिक)

• दण्ड: punishment; coercive power of the state
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया/सम्बोधन एकवचन (प्रातिपदिक)

• व्यसनयोः: of the two calamities/misfortunes
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यसन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी/सप्तमी द्विवचन (यहाँ षष्ठी द्विवचनः)

• दण्ड: punishment; coercive power
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया/सम्बोधन एकवचन (प्रातिपदिक)

• व्यसनम्: calamity; misfortune
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यसन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

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

• कौणपदन्तः: (according to) Kauṇapadanta
• Type: Noun (proper name/attribution)
• Root: कौणपदन्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; मतानुकरणे कर्तृवाचकः (इति-पर्यवसानम्)

Entities Mentioned

• Kauṇapadanta
• kośa (treasury)
• daṇḍa (coercive apparatus)

More Details

FAQs

What does Kauṇapadanta prioritize in a crisis: money or force?

Force (daṇḍa). He argues that collapse of coercive capacity is more dangerous than a depleted treasury.

What modern policy analogy fits this view?

In existential threats, maintaining security institutions (military/police) is treated as the non-negotiable backbone of governance continuity.