Arthashastra 3.20.4: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 20, Sutra 4

Devanagari script

बालिशजातीयो ह्येष जेतुकामः पराजयं न क्षमते इत्याचार्याः ॥ कZ_०३.२०.०४ ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.20.4

Transliteration

bāliśajātīyo hyeṣa jetukāmaḥ parājayaṃ na kṣamate ity ācāryāḥ

Translation

आचार्य कहते हैं, ऐसा आदमी बच्चों जैसा है। जीतना चाहता है, लेकिन हार नहीं सह पाता।

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Word by Word

• बालिशजातीयः: one of a childish/foolish disposition; belonging to the ‘bāliśa’ type
• Type: Noun (Adjective)
• Root: बालिश; जातीय
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; विशेषणम्

• हि: indeed; for
• Type: Particle
• Root: हि
• Form: निपातः; हेतौ/समर्थने

• एषः: this (man/person)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः

• जेतुकामः: desirous of conquering; eager to win
• Type: Noun (Adjective)
• Root: जि (√जि, जय) + काम
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; विशेषणम्

• पराजयम्: defeat; loss
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराजय
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः/नपुंसकलिङ्गप्रयोगः (अर्थतः ‘defeat’); कर्मपदम्

• न: not
• Type: Negation
• Root: न
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्

• क्षमते: tolerates; endures; puts up with
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षम् (√क्षम)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्; ‘to endure/tolerate’

• इति: thus; ‘so’ (marking quotation)
• Type: Quotative particle
• Root: इति
• Form: वाक्यसमाप्ति/उद्धरणसूचकः

• आचार्याः: the teachers (authorities)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; वक्तृ-निर्देशः

Entities Mentioned

• ācāryāḥ (teachers/earlier jurists)

More Details

FAQs

Why does the text describe the wagerer as ‘unable to tolerate defeat’ (parājayaṃ na kṣamate)?

To justify state regulation: people who cannot accept loss are more likely to escalate disputes into violence or fraud, requiring preventive rules and penalties.