Vyasanadhikarana Adhyaya 2 Sutra 8 - Arthashastra | French | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 8

Devanagari script

वैराज्यं तु जीवतः परस्याच्छिद्य नैतन्मम इति मन्यमानः कर्शयति अपवाहयति पण्यं वा करोति विरक्तं वा परित्यज्यापगच्छतीति ॥ कZ_०८.२.०८ ॥

Transliteration

vairājyaṃ tu jīvataḥ parasyācchidya naitan mama iti manyamānaḥ karśayati apavāhayati paṇyaṃ vā karoti viraktaṃ vā parityajyāpagacchatīti

Translation

Mais celui qui s’empare d’une part de la royauté alors que l’autre est encore vivant—en se disant «ce n’est pas à moi»—épuise le royaume, détourne les ressources, transforme les biens publics en commerce privé, ou bien, une fois désaffecté, l’abandonne et s’en va.

Word by Word

वैराज्यम्unlawful appropriation (of another’s property/rights)

तुbut/indeed

जीवतःof a living (person)

परस्यof another (person)

आच्छिद्यhaving seized/robbed (having taken away)

नnot

एतत्this

ममmine/of me

इतिthus (thinking/quoting)

मन्यमानःthinking/supposing

कर्शयतिhe damages/impairs; he causes loss

अपवाहयतिhe carries off/causes to be taken away

पण्यम्merchandise/goods

वाor

करोतिhe does/makes

विरक्तम्spoiled/unsaleable

वाor

परित्यज्यhaving abandoned/left behind

अपगच्छतिhe goes away/departs

इतिthus (this is said/defined)

Entities Mentioned

co-ruler

realm/state

FAQs

What behavior does Kautilya predict from a co-ruler who feels insecure about ownership?

Short-term extraction: over-taxing/exhausting the realm, diverting revenues, privatizing state assets, or abandoning the state when disillusioned.

What modern governance concept parallels ‘paṇyaṃ vā karoti’?

Privatization-by-corruption: converting public office and public assets into private commercial gain.