Sutra 41

Devanagari script

कोशदण्डव्यसनयोर्दण्डव्यसनमिति कौणपदन्तः ॥ कZ_०८.१.४१ ॥

Transliteration

kośadaṇḍavyasanayor daṇḍavyasanam iti kauṇapadantaḥ.

Translation

Entre le malheur qui frappe le trésor et celui qui frappe l’appareil coercitif, Kauṇapadanta soutient que le malheur qui frappe l’appareil coercitif est le pire.

Word by Word

• कोश: treasury; state finances
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया/सम्बोधन एकवचन (प्रातिपदिक)

• दण्ड: punishment; coercive power of the state
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया/सम्बोधन एकवचन (प्रातिपदिक)

• व्यसनयोः: of the two calamities/misfortunes
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यसन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी/सप्तमी द्विवचन (यहाँ षष्ठी द्विवचनः)

• दण्ड: punishment; coercive power
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया/सम्बोधन एकवचन (प्रातिपदिक)

• व्यसनम्: calamity; misfortune
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यसन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

• इति: thus; (so) it is said
• Type: Particle
• Root: इति
• Form: निपात (उद्धरण/निश्चयार्थक)

• कौणपदन्तः: (according to) Kauṇapadanta
• Type: Noun (proper name/attribution)
• Root: कौणपदन्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; मतानुकरणे कर्तृवाचकः (इति-पर्यवसानम्)

Entities Mentioned

• Kauṇapadanta
• kośa (treasury)
• daṇḍa (coercive apparatus)

More Details

FAQs

What does Kauṇapadanta prioritize in a crisis: money or force?

Force (daṇḍa). He argues that collapse of coercive capacity is more dangerous than a depleted treasury.

What modern policy analogy fits this view?

In existential threats, maintaining security institutions (military/police) is treated as the non-negotiable backbone of governance continuity.