Yogavritta Adhyaya 2 Sutra 59 - Arthashastra | English | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 59

Devanagari script

सिद्धव्यञ्जनो वा दूष्यं जम्भकविद्याभिः प्रलोभयित्वा ब्रूयात् अक्षयहिरण्यं राजद्वारिकं स्त्रीहृदयमरिव्याधिकरमायुष्यं पुत्रीयं वा कर्म जानामि इति ॥ कZ_०५.२.५९ ॥

Transliteration

siddhavyañjano vā dūṣyaṃ jambhakavidyābhiḥ pralobhayitvā brūyāt akṣayahiraṇyaṃ rājadvārikaṃ strīhṛdayamarivyādhikaramāyuṣyaṃ putrīyaṃ vā karma jānāmi iti

Translation

Or an agent disguised as a ‘perfected adept’ should entice the corruptible target with conjuring arts, saying: ‘I know a rite for inexhaustible gold, for access at the king’s gate, for winning women’s hearts, for overpowering enemies, for prolonging life, or for begetting a son.’

Word by Word

सिद्धव्यञ्जनःa disguised/marked agent (a spy with ‘prepared signs’)

वाor

दूष्यम्the person to be corrupted/compromised (the target)

जम्भकविद्याभिःby deceptive arts/tricks (jambhaka-techniques)

प्रलोभयित्वाhaving enticed/tempted

ब्रूयात्he should say

अक्षय-हिरण्यम्inexhaustible gold/treasure

राज-द्वारिकम्connected with the king’s gate/court (royal-door related)

स्त्री-हृदयम्the heart/mind of a woman (women’s secrets)

अरि-व्याधि-करम्causing disease to an enemy

आयुष्यम्life-prolonging

पुत्रीयम्granting a son/offspring-producing

वाor

कर्मa (special) operation/rite/practice

जानामिI know

इतिthus (quoting)

Entities Mentioned

siddhavyañjana (disguised agent)

dūṣya (corruptible target)

rājadvāra (royal gate/court access)

FAQs

Why does Kautilya list promises like gold, access, women, victory, longevity, and a son?

They map to common human drivers (wealth, status, desire, security, survival, lineage), maximizing the chance the target self-incriminates.

What is the political-administrative purpose of this deception?

To expose and control corruptible officials/subjects by inducing them to seek illicit advantage, creating prosecutable or coercive evidence.