Sutra 15
Devanagari script
दूष्याननुप्रविष्टा वा तीक्ष्णाः शस्त्ररसाभ्यां हन्युः ॥ कZ_०९.५.१५ ॥
Transliteration
dūṣyān anupraviṣṭā vā tīkṣṇāḥ śastrarasābhyāṃ hanyuḥ
Translation
Ou bien, des agents résolus, infiltrés parmi les personnes compromises, doivent tuer (les cibles) par les armes ou par le poison.
Word by Word
दूष्याःcompromised/turned (agents)
दूष्याः:
TypeNoun/Adjective
Rootदूष्य
Formप्रथमा बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः (विशेषण-रूपेण)
अनुप्रविष्टाःhaving infiltrated / having entered in (after/along)
अनुप्रविष्टाः:
TypeParticiple
Rootअनु-प्र-√विश्
Formभूतकृदन्तः (क्त), प्रथमा बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formविकल्पार्थक निपात
तीक्ष्णाःfierce/keen (assassins/operatives)
तीक्ष्णाः:
TypeNoun/Adjective
Rootतीक्ष्ण
Formप्रथमा बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः (विशेषण-रूपेण)
शस्त्रwith a weapon
शस्त्र:
TypeNoun
Rootशस्त्र
Formतृतीया एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्गः (करणे)
रसाभ्याम्with poison/poison-juice (lit. ‘juices’)
रसाभ्याम्:
TypeNoun
Rootरस
Formतृतीया द्विवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः (करणे)
हन्युःthey should kill / may strike down
हन्युः:
TypeVerb
Root√हन्
Formलिङ् (विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्
Entities Mentioned
T
tīkṣṇa (ruthless agent)FAQs
It represents escalation when conciliation/co-option fails or when the threat is acute; Kautilya presents a graduated toolkit.
Two covert modalities: overt-looking violence (weapon) or deniable killing (poison), chosen for feasibility and concealment.