Sutra 57

Devanagari script

दण्डमित्रयोस्तु साधारणे कार्ये सारतः स्वयुद्धदेशकाललाभाद्विशेषः ॥ कZ_०८.१.५७ ॥

Transliteration

daṇḍa-mitrayos tu sādhāraṇe kārye sārataḥ sva-yuddha-deśa-kāla-lābhād viśeṣaḥ

Translation

Mais lorsque le pouvoir coercitif et un allié servent un même objectif commun, la différence de leur valeur s’évalue essentiellement d’après sa propre capacité de guerre, le terrain, le moment et le gain attendu.

Word by Word

• दण्ड: punishment; royal coercive power
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (सन्दर्भानुसार ‘दण्डः/दण्डम्’); विषयपदम्

• मित्रयोः: of the two allies/friends
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी द्विवचन

• तु: but; however
• Type: Particle
• Root: तु
• Form: निपात; विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• साधारणे: in a common/shared
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साधारण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन; ‘कार्ये’ इति विशेषणम्

• कार्ये: matter; task; undertaking
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन

• सारतः: essentially; in substance
• Type: Adverb
• Root: सारतः
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; ‘सार’ आधारः

• स्वयुद्धदेशकाललाभात्: from (considerations of) one’s own war-capacity, territory/place, time, and gain
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-युद्ध-देश-काल-लाभ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी एकवचन; अपादान/हेतुअर्थ (‘…from/owing to…’)

• विशेषः: a distinction; a differentiating factor
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; विधेयपदम्

Entities Mentioned

• daṇḍa
• mitra
• deśa
• kāla
• lābha

More Details

FAQs

What does Kautilya use to decide whether to rely on force or allies?

A contextual assessment: own military readiness, terrain, timing, and the payoff.

What modern policy analogue fits this?

Force posture vs coalition strategy decisions based on capability, geography, window of opportunity, and strategic returns.