Sutra 46

Devanagari script

ग्रामशोभाश्च रक्षाश्च तेषां प्रियहितं चरेत् ॥ कZ_०३.१०.४६च्द् ॥

Transliteration

grāmaśobhāś ca rakṣāś ca teṣāṃ priyahitaṃ caret

Translation

Il doit favoriser la prospérité/les commodités du village et sa protection, et agir selon ce qui leur est agréable et bénéfique (aux habitants).

Word by Word

• ग्रामशोभाः: the (measures for) village prosperity/amenities
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ् (शोभा-)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; (शोभा-शब्दः) कर्तृपद-समुच्चयः

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• रक्षाः: protections; security arrangements
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्ष् (रक्षा-)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; (रक्षा-शब्दः) कर्तृपद-समुच्चयः

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• तेषाम्: of them (i.e., of those people/villagers)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; सम्बन्धे (of them)

• प्रियहितम्: what is pleasing and beneficial (to them)
• Type: Noun (used adjectivally)
• Root: प्रि + हित (√धा > हित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; कर्मपदम् (what is to be practiced)

• चरेत्: should practice/implement
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: लोट् (विधिलिङ्-समर्थः आदेशार्थे); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष-एकवचन; धातुः: चर्; अर्थः: आचरेत्/अनुष्ठीयात्

Entities Mentioned

• king/administration
• villagers
• village
• protective apparatus

More Details

FAQs

Why pair ‘village amenities’ with ‘protection’ in Kautilya’s policy logic?

Material well-being without security is fragile, and security without welfare breeds resentment; together they stabilize revenue, loyalty, and order.

What does priya-hita signal as a governance principle?

Policy should be publicly acceptable (priya) while still objectively beneficial (hita), balancing legitimacy with long-term state interest.