Sutra 9

Devanagari script

सत्पुरुषाचारः कोपो वैरयातनमवज्ञावधो भीतमनुष्यता च ॥ कZ_०८.३.०९ ॥

Transliteration

satpuruṣācāraḥ kopo vairayātanamavajñāvadho bhītamanuṣyatā ca

Translation

Anger (when properly directed) sustains the discipline of good conduct; it serves as a ground for hostility (toward wrongdoers), as the killing of contempt (i.e., prevention of insolence), and as making people fearful and compliant.

Word by Word

• सत्पुरुषाचारः: conduct befitting a good/virtuous man
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचर्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; सत्पुरुषस्य आचारः

• कोपः: anger
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुप्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• वैरयातनम्: harassment/torture arising from enmity
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत् (यातन) / यात् (यातना-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; वैरस्य यातनम्

• अवज्ञा: contempt, disrespect
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञा (अव-ज्ञा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• वधः: killing, slaying
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• भीतम्: fear; being frightened
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भी
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘भीत’ (कृदन्त, क्त)

• अनुष्यता: subservience; following/attending upon (another)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनु-षु (अनुषु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; भाववाचक (ता-प्रत्यय)

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

Entities Mentioned

• wrongdoers (implicit)
• subjects (implicit)

More Details

FAQs

Is Kauṭilya endorsing rage-driven rule here?

No. The point is functional: calibrated severity and credible punitive capacity deter insolence; uncontrolled anger remains a destabilizing vice.