Abhiyasyatkarma Adhyaya 4 Sutra 25 - Arthashastra | French | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 25

Devanagari script

लाभविघ्नाः कामः कोपः साध्वसं कारुण्यं ह्रीरनार्यभावो मानः सानुक्रोशता परलोकापेक्षा धार्मिकत्वमत्यागित्वं दैन्यमसूया हस्तगतावमानो दौरात्म्यमविश्वासो भयमप्रतीकारः शीतोष्णवर्षाणामाक्षम्यं मङ्गलतिथिनक्षत्रेष्टित्वमिति ॥ कZ_०९.४.२५ ॥

Transliteration

lābhavighnāḥ kāmaḥ kopaḥ sādhvasaṃ kāruṇyaṃ hrīr anāryabhāvo mānaḥ sānukrośatā paralokāpekṣā dhārmikatvam atyāgitvaṃ dainyam asūyā hastagatāvamāno daurātmyam aviśvāso bhayam apratīkāraḥ śītoṣṇavarṣāṇām ākṣamyaṃ maṅgalatithinakṣatreṣṭitvam iti.

Translation

Les obstacles au gain sont : la luxure, la colère, la timidité, une pitié mal placée, la honte, une conduite ignoble, l’orgueil, une compassion excessive, l’attente d’une récompense dans l’au-delà, une religiosité ostentatoire, le refus de se défaire (de ce qui doit être dépensé), la misère, l’envie, l’humiliation même après avoir obtenu l’objet, la méchanceté, la défiance, la peur sans contre-mesures, l’intolérance au froid/à la chaleur/à la pluie, et l’obsession des jours et des astres fastes.

Word by Word

लाभ-विघ्नाःobstacles to gain/success

कामःdesire, lust

कोपःanger

साध्वसम्fear, panic

कारुण्यम्pity, compassion (misplaced)

ह्रीःshame, bashfulness

अनार्य-भावःignoble conduct, baseness

मानःpride, arrogance

सानुक्रोशताtender-heartedness, excessive sympathy

परलोक-अपेक्षाconcern for the afterlife

धार्मिकत्वम्being overly ‘righteous’/pious-mindedness

अत्यागित्वम्excessive generosity, over-giving

दैन्यम्dejection, wretchedness

असूयाenvy, jealousy

हस्तगत-अवमानःa (felt) humiliation at hand / imminent insult

दौरात्म्यम्wickedness, depravity

अविश्वासःdistrust, suspicion

भयम्fear

अप्रतीकारःlack of countermeasure, helplessness

शीत-उष्ण-वर्षाणाम्of cold, heat, and rains

अ-क्षम्यम्intolerance, inability to endure

मङ्गल-तिथि-नक्षत्र-इष्टित्वम्preoccupation with auspicious omens, lunar dates, and constellations

इतिthus, (these are)

Entities Mentioned

gain/profit (lābha)

omens/astrology (tithi, nakṣatra)

FAQs

Why does Kautilya list personal emotions alongside practical constraints as 'obstacles to gain'?

Because in administration, outcomes fail as often from the ruler/official’s internal weaknesses (impulse, fear, pride, misplaced pity) as from external constraints; governance requires psychological self-control as a policy tool.

What is the administrative meaning of 'atyāgitva' here?

An inability to spend, concede, or part with resources when strategy demands it—blocking investment, alliances, incentives, or timely concessions needed to secure larger gains.