Sutra 15

Devanagari script

दूष्यमहामात्रपुत्रमात्मसंभावितं वा सत्त्री राजपुत्रस्त्वं शत्रुभयादिह न्यस्तोऽसि इत्युपजपेत् ॥ कZ_०५.१.१५ ॥

Transliteration

dūṣyamahāmātraputram ātmasaṃbhāvitaṃ vā sattrī rājaputras tvaṃ śatrubhayād iha nyasto 'si ity upajapet

Translation

A sattrin agent should privately persuade the son of a tainted person or of a high official—or one who is ambitious/self-important—saying: “You are a prince; out of fear of enemies you have been placed here (in concealment).”

Word by Word

• दूष्य: corruptible / tainted / to be discredited
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दूष्य (दुष्/दूष्-धातु से निष्पन्न)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (विशेषण-रूप, ‘दूष्य’ = दूषणीय/दूषित)

• महामात्र-पुत्रम्: the son of a high officer (mahāmātra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामात्र + पुत्र
• Form: द्वितीया एकवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग; ‘महामात्रस्य पुत्रः’

• आत्म-सम्भावितम्: self-important / self-conceited
• Type: Adjective (Past passive participle)
• Root: सम् + भू (सम्भव) → सम्भावित (कृदन्त)
• Form: द्वितीया एकवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसक (यहाँ ‘…पुत्रम्’ का विशेषण); ‘आत्मना सम्भावितः’ = स्वयम् अपने को योग्य/महत्त्वपूर्ण मानने वाला

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात

• सत्त्री: a female spy / female agent
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्री (स्त्रीलिङ्ग)
• Form: प्रथमा एकवचन; स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• राजपुत्रः: a prince / king’s son
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज + पुत्र
• Form: प्रथमा एकवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग; ‘राज्ञः पुत्रः’

• त्वम्: you
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: प्रथमा एकवचन; मध्यमपुरुष

• शत्रु-भयात्: from fear of the enemy
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु + भय
• Form: पञ्चमी एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; ‘शत्रोः भयम्’ → ‘शत्रुभय’

• इह: here
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय

• न्यस्तः: placed / deposited (here)
• Type: Participle (PPP)
• Root: नि + अस्/स्था (न्यास/न्यस्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: प्रथमा एकवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग; ‘न्यस्’ = स्थापित/रखा गया

• असि: you are
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: लट्; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus (saying)
• Type: Quotative particle
• Root: इति
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय

• उपजपेत्: he should whisper/instigate (by repeated confidential suggestion)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + जप्
• Form: विधिलिङ्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद (आदेश/विधान)

Entities Mentioned

• sattrin (agent)
• son of dūṣya
• son of mahāmātra
• ambitious person (ātmasaṃbhāvita)
• enemies (śatru)
• prince (rājaputra)

More Details

FAQs

What is the political purpose of telling someone ‘you are a prince’?

It weaponizes ego and hope, making the target pliable for recruitment, control, or to provoke actions useful to the state.

Who is the ideal target per this sutra?

A well-connected son (of a suspect or high official) or any person with strong self-importance—high susceptibility to status-based deception.