Sutra 57
Devanagari script
तस्मादिमं द्व्यक्षं सहस्राक्षमाहुः ॥ कZ_०१.१५.५७ ॥
Transliteration
tasmād imaṃ dvyakṣaṃ sahasrākṣam āhuḥ
Translation
इसलिए, यद्यपि उसकी दो आँखें हैं, फिर भी उसे ‘सहस्राक्ष’ (हजार‑आँखों वाला) कहते हैं।
Word by Word
तस्मात्therefore; from that (reason)
तस्मात्:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formसर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; पञ्चमी एकवचन (ablative sg.), नपुंसकलिङ्ग-तद् (प्रयोगे अव्ययीभाववत् ‘therefore/from that’ अर्थे)
इमम्this (one)
इमम्:
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
Formसर्वनाम; द्वितीया एकवचन (accusative sg.), पुल्लिङ्ग
द्वि-अक्षम्two-eyed (having two eyes)
द्वि-अक्षम्:
TypeNoun (compound)
Rootअक्ष
Formसमास: द्वि + अक्ष; द्वितीया एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; विशेषणरूपेण ‘इमम्’ इत्यस्य
सहस्र-अक्षम्thousand-eyed (all-seeing)
सहस्र-अक्षम्:
TypeNoun (compound)
Rootअक्ष
Formसमास: सहस्र + अक्ष; द्वितीया एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; ‘इमम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
आहुःthey have said; they call
आहुः:
TypeVerb
Rootअह् (ब्रू/वच्-अर्थे)
Formलिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट) परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष बहुवचन
Entities Mentioned
I
Indra (by epithet)R
Ruler (by analogy)C
Council/advisers (implied)FAQs
A ruler’s effectiveness scales with institutionalized observation—many trusted observers and advisers multiply awareness and reduce blind spots.
It supports Kauṭilya’s adaptive view: the goal is sufficient ‘eyes’ (capability and coverage), not adherence to a fixed number.