Sutra 7
Devanagari script
दुष्टेषु संधिं दूषयेत् ॥ कZ_०७.१४.०७ ॥
Transliteration
duṣṭeṣu saṃdhiṃ dūṣayet
Translation
Parmi les méchants ou les gens peu fiables, il faut corrompre ou faire échouer le traité (c’est‑à‑dire empêcher ou rompre leur arrangement).
Word by Word
दुष्टेषुamong/with the wicked (treacherous persons)
दुष्टेषु:
TypeNoun (adjectival)
Rootदुष्ट (√दुष्)
Formसप्तमी-बहुवचनम्; पुंलिङ्गे (प्रायः) विशेषणम्; अधिकरणे (locative of sphere/condition)
सन्धिम्a treaty/peace (political alliance)
सन्धिम्:
TypeNoun
Rootसन्धि
Formद्वितीया-एकवचनम्; पुंलिङ्गः; कर्म (object)
दूषयेत्should spoil/corrupt (should undermine)
दूषयेत्:
TypeVerb
Root√दूष् (दूषयति)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः; एकवचनम्; causative/denominative formation with -य- (दूषय-)
Entities Mentioned
D
duṣṭa (unreliable actor)FAQs
Kautilya assumes unreliable actors use peace instrumentally; preventing their consolidation can be safer than allowing a stable hostile alignment to form.