Sutra 14

Devanagari script

क्षीणलुब्धा हि प्रकृतयो भर्तरि स्निग्धा भर्तृहिते तिष्ठन्ति उपजापं वा विसंवादयन्ति अनुरागे सार्वगुण्यमिति ॥ कZ_०७.५.१४ ॥

Transliteration

kṣīṇalubdhā hi prakṛtayo bhartari snigdhā bhartṛhite tiṣṭhanti | upajāpaṃ vā visaṃvādayanti | anurāge sārvaguṇyam iti ||

Translation

Car les éléments constitutifs affaiblis et cupides, s’ils demeurent attachés à leur seigneur, se tiennent à son intérêt et peuvent même rejeter ou faire échouer les tentatives d’incitation ; lorsqu’il y a loyauté (anurāga), elle agit comme une vertu stabilisatrice à tout usage.

Word by Word

क्षीण-लुब्धाःweakened and greedy

हिindeed / for

प्रकृतयःconstituent elements of the state (prakṛtis)

भर्तरिin/with regard to the ruler (master)

स्निग्धाःaffectionate / loyal

भर्तृ-हितेin the ruler’s interest

तिष्ठन्तिthey stand / remain

उपजापम्secret instigation / covert persuasion

वाor

विसंवादयन्तिthey cause (others) to be deceived / to break faith

अनुरागेin attachment / loyalty

सार्व-गुण्यम्‘all-round excellence (is) [found] in loyalty’ (as a dictum)

इतिthus / as follows

Entities Mentioned

prakṛti (state constituents)

bhartṛ (ruler)

FAQs

Why does loyalty matter even when constituents are ‘greedy’?

Greed creates susceptibility, but loyalty anchors preference: attached constituents may refuse or sabotage external inducements.

What is meant by ‘anurāge sārvaguṇyam’?

Loyalty is treated as a meta-virtue: it compensates for other weaknesses by keeping actors aligned with the ruler’s interest.