Sutra 4
Devanagari script
राज्योपघातिनस्तु वल्लभाः संहता वा ये मुख्याः प्रकाशमशक्याः प्रतिषेद्धुं दूष्याः तेषु धर्मरुचिरुपांशुदण्डं प्रयुञ्जीत ॥ कZ_०५.१.०४ ॥
Transliteration
rājyopaghātinastu vallabhāḥ saṃhatā vā ye mukhyāḥ prakāśamaśakyāḥ pratiṣeddhuṃ dūṣyāḥ teṣu dharmarucirupāṃśudaṇḍaṃ prayuñjīta
Translation
But when favorites or organized key persons are harmful to the state—such that they cannot be openly restrained, yet are amenable to being compromised—one should employ a ‘law-appearing’ covert punishment against them.
Word by Word
राज्योपघातिनःthose who harm the state
राज्योपघातिनः:
TypeAdjective (used substantively)
Rootउप-हन् (हन्)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; विशेषण (वल्लभाः इत्यस्य) — ‘राज्यस्य उपघातिनः’
तुhowever / but
तु:
TypeParticle
Rootतु
Formनिपात; विरोध/विशेषार्थे
वल्लभाःfavorites (close, influential persons)
वल्लभाः:
TypeNoun
Rootवल्लभ
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन
संहताःunited / banded together
संहताः:
TypeAdjective (past participle)
Rootसम्-हन् (हन्) / संहत (ppp)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; विशेषण (वल्लभाः)
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formनिपात; विकल्पार्थे
येwho / those who
ये:
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक (येषां विषये)
मुख्याःprincipal / leading
मुख्याः:
TypeAdjective
Rootमुख्य
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; विशेषण (ये/वल्लभाः)
प्रकाशम्openly / in public
प्रकाशम्:
TypeNoun (used adverbially)
Rootप्रकाश
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (‘openly’)
अशक्याःnot possible (to be) / impossible (to)
अशक्याः:
TypeAdjective (gerundive sense)
Rootशक्
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; ‘न शक्याः’ = अशक्याः; विशेषण (ये)
प्रतिषेद्धुम्to prevent / to forbid
प्रतिषेद्धुम्:
TypeVerb (infinitive)
Rootप्रति-षिध्
Formतुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त; क्रियार्थक-नपुंसक; ‘to prevent/forbid’
दूष्याःto be discredited / to be corrupted (as a measure)
दूष्याः:
TypeAdjective (gerundive sense)
Rootदूष्
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (ये) — ‘दूषयितुं योग्याः’
तेषुagainst them / in their case
तेषु:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक; सप्तमी-बहुवचन; अधिकरण (‘in/against them’)
धर्मरुचिम्(a) ‘dharma-pleasing’ / appearing righteous (as an epithet of the covert punishment)
धर्मरुचिम्:
TypeNoun (proper/technical epithet)
Rootधर्मरुचि
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; उपांशुदण्डम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (धर्मरुचि-नामक/धर्माभास-रुचि-युक्त)
उपांशुदण्डम्a covert/secret punishment
उपांशुदण्डम्:
TypeNoun
Rootदण्ड
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; ‘उपांशु’ (=गुप्तम्) इति विशेषणेन समासः
प्रयुञ्जीतshould employ / should apply
प्रयुञ्जीत:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-युज्
Formविधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष-एकवचन; ‘he should employ/apply’ (राजा/राजकार्यकर्ता)
Entities Mentioned
V
vallabha (favorite)R
rājya (state)FAQs
Discreet neutralization framed as lawful/morally acceptable, used when open confrontation would be politically costly or infeasible.