Sutra 8
Devanagari script
यश्च मुख्यः पक्षवान्दुर्गाटवीस्थो वा वैगुण्यं भजेत तमुपग्राहयेत् ॥ कZ_०५.६.०८ ॥
Transliteration
yaś ca mukhyaḥ pakṣavān durgāṭavīstho vā vaiguṇyaṃ bhajeta tam upagrāhayet
Translation
Any leading man who has a faction behind him—whether based in a fort or in the forest—if he shows disaffection or weakness, should be won over (brought under control) through inducement and attachment.
Word by Word
यःwho (he who)
यः:
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
Formसर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन
चand
च:
TypeParticle
Rootच
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय
मुख्यःthe chief, principal
मुख्यः:
TypeAdjective
Rootमुख्य
Formविशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन
पक्षवान्having a side/party; supported; faction-backed
पक्षवान्:
TypeAdjective
Rootपक्षवत्
Formविशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (वत्)
दुर्गाटवीस्थःsituated in a fort or in the forest
दुर्गाटवीस्थः:
TypeAdjective
Rootदुर्गाटवीस्थ
Formसमासान्त-विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; दुर्ग-आटवी-स्थ (= in a fort/forest)
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formविकल्प-अव्यय
वैगुण्यम्a fault; deficiency; lapse
वैगुण्यम्:
TypeNoun
Rootवैगुण्य
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन
भजेतshould resort to; should incur/commit
भजेत:
TypeVerb
Rootभज्
Formलोट्/विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन
तम्him
तम्:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formसर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन
उपग्राहयेत्should win over; should bring to one’s side
उपग्राहयेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootउप-ग्रह् (causative)
Formणिच्-प्रत्यय (causative); विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन
Entities Mentioned
F
factional leaderF
fort-based actorsF
forest-based actors (āṭavī)FAQs
It is cheaper and faster to absorb a wavering power-broker than to fight him; co-optation prevents factional consolidation against the state.
Kauṭilya treats both frontier garrisons and forest polities as potential bases of alternative power requiring political handling.