Yogavritta Adhyaya 6 Sutra 28 - Arthashastra | Hindi | Vedapath

Sutra 28

Devanagari script

राज्यकारणाद्द् हि पिता पुत्रान्पुत्राश्च पितरमभिद्रुह्यन्ति किमङ्ग पुनरमात्यप्रकृतिर्ह्येकप्रग्रहो राज्यस्य ॥ कZ_०५.६.२८ ॥

Transliteration

rājyakāraṇād dhi pitā putrān putrāś ca pitaram abhidruhyanti kimaṅga punar amātya-prakṛtir hy eka-pragraho rājyasya

Translation

राज्य के कारण पिता पुत्रों से और पुत्र पिता से द्रोह करते हैं; फिर अमात्य-प्रकृति तो राज्य का एकमात्र निर्णायक पकड़ है—वह तो और भी अधिक।

Word by Word

राज्यकारणात्from/for the cause of kingship (i.e., for the sake of the state/sovereignty)

हिindeed, for

पिताthe father

पुत्रान्sons

पुत्राःsons

चand

पितरम्the father

अभिद्रुह्यन्तिbetray, act treacherously against

किम्what? (how much more?)

अङ्गthen, indeed (emphatic)

पुनःagain; moreover; rather

अमात्यप्रकृतिःthe ministerial element (the ministers/official establishment)

हिindeed, for

एकप्रग्राहःa single controlling hold/handle (a single point of control)

राज्यस्यof the kingdom/state

Entities Mentioned

father

sons

ministerial prakṛti (amātya)

state/kingdom

What political lesson is drawn from family betrayal?

Kinship does not prevent power struggles; therefore governance must be designed for ambition, not ideal loyalty.

Why call the ministerial element the ‘eka-pragraha’ of the state?

Because control over ministers/administration provides the most direct operational control over state machinery.