Sutra 57

Devanagari script

दण्डमित्रयोस्तु साधारणे कार्ये सारतः स्वयुद्धदेशकाललाभाद्विशेषः ॥ कZ_०८.१.५७ ॥

Transliteration

daṇḍa-mitrayos tu sādhāraṇe kārye sārataḥ sva-yuddha-deśa-kāla-lābhād viśeṣaḥ

Translation

But when coercive power and an ally serve the same common purpose, the difference in their value is assessed essentially by one’s own war-capability, terrain, timing, and expected gain.

Word by Word

• दण्ड: punishment; royal coercive power
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (सन्दर्भानुसार ‘दण्डः/दण्डम्’); विषयपदम्

• मित्रयोः: of the two allies/friends
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी द्विवचन

• तु: but; however
• Type: Particle
• Root: तु
• Form: निपात; विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• साधारणे: in a common/shared
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साधारण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन; ‘कार्ये’ इति विशेषणम्

• कार्ये: matter; task; undertaking
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन

• सारतः: essentially; in substance
• Type: Adverb
• Root: सारतः
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; ‘सार’ आधारः

• स्वयुद्धदेशकाललाभात्: from (considerations of) one’s own war-capacity, territory/place, time, and gain
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-युद्ध-देश-काल-लाभ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी एकवचन; अपादान/हेतुअर्थ (‘…from/owing to…’)

• विशेषः: a distinction; a differentiating factor
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; विधेयपदम्

Entities Mentioned

• daṇḍa
• mitra
• deśa
• kāla
• lābha

More Details

FAQs

What does Kautilya use to decide whether to rely on force or allies?

A contextual assessment: own military readiness, terrain, timing, and the payoff.

What modern policy analogue fits this?

Force posture vs coalition strategy decisions based on capability, geography, window of opportunity, and strategic returns.