Sutra 2

Devanagari script

यं वा मन्येत यथाहमाश्रयेप्सुरेवमसौ विनयेप्सुराभिगामिकगुणयुक्तः इति द्रव्यप्रकृतिहीनमप्येनमाश्रयेत न त्वेवानात्मसंपन्नम् ॥ कZ_०५.४.०२ ॥

Transliteration

yaṃ vā manyeta yathāham āśrayepsur evam asau vinayepsur ābhigāmikaguṇayuktaḥ iti dravyaprakṛtihīnam apy enam āśrayeta na tvevānātmasaṃpannam

Translation

Ou bien, si l’on juge : «De même que je cherche un appui, lui aussi cherche une direction disciplinée et possède des qualités séduisantes et accessibles», on peut s’attacher même à un souverain dépourvu de ressources et d’éléments de l’État ; mais jamais à celui qui manque d’excellence personnelle.

Word by Word

यम्whom

वाor

मन्येतshould consider / would think

यथाas / in the manner that

अहम्I

आश्रय-ईप्सुःone desiring refuge/protection

एवम्thus / in this way

असौthat person (he)

विनय-ईप्सुःone desiring discipline/training

आभिगामिक-गुण-युक्तःendowed with amiable/approachable virtues

इतिthus (thinking/quoting)

द्रव्य-प्रकृति-हीनम्lacking wealth and (state-)resources/constituents

अपिeven (if)

एनम्him

आश्रयेतshould give/accept refuge (should take under protection)

नnot

तुbut

एवindeed / certainly

अनात्म-संपन्नम्one lacking personal character/integrity

Entities Mentioned

ruler/king (implicit)

vinaya (discipline/training)

FAQs

What is prioritized: resources or character?

Character and receptivity to discipline (vinaya) are prioritized; resource deficits can be remedied, but a deficient ‘ātma’ is disqualifying.