Sutra 5

Devanagari script

षाड्गुण्यमेवैतदवस्थाभेदादिति कौटिल्यः ॥ कZ_०७.१.०५ ॥

Transliteration

ṣāḍguṇyam evaitad avasthābhedād iti kauṭilyaḥ

Translation

कौटिल्य कहते हैं: यही वास्तव में षाड्गुण्य है; भेद तो अवस्थाओं (परिस्थितियों) के भेद से होते हैं।

Word by Word

• षाड्गुण्यम्: the sixfold policy (six measures of foreign policy)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड्गुण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (सन्दर्भे कर्म/विषयत्वेन)

• एव: indeed; only; precisely
• Type: Particle
• Root: एव
• Form: निपात; अवधारणार्थक

• एतत्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया

• अवस्था: condition; state; situation
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवस्था
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, षष्ठी (भेदस्य)

• भेदात्: from (the) difference/variation
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिद्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, पञ्चमी; ‘भेद’ (भिद् धातोः)

• इति: thus; so (quotative)
• Type: Particle
• Root: इति
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक निपात; वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक/उद्धरणचिह्न

• कौटिल्यः: Kauṭilya (the author/authority)
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: कौटिल्य
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; कर्तृपद (आचार्यनाम)

Entities Mentioned

• Kauṭilya

More Details

FAQs

What is the administrative intent behind 'avasthā-bheda'?

Policy must be selected and switched based on changing power balances, readiness, terrain, allies, and internal stability—i.e., governance requires adaptive, not rigid, doctrine.