Arthashastra 7.13.21 - Shadgunya, Adhyaya 13, Sutra 21

Kautilya

Arthashastra 7.13.21: Shadgunya, Adhyaya 13, Sutra 21

Devanagari script

लब्धलाभापगमने यस्यामित्रो लाभेन शक्त्या हीनः स पार्ष्णिग्राहोऽतिसंधत्ते यस्य वा यातव्यः शत्रोर्विग्रहापकारसमर्थः स्यात् ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 7.13.21

Transliteration

labdhalābhāpagamane yasyāmitro lābhena śaktyā hīnaḥ sa pārṣṇigrāho 'tisaṃdhatte yasya vā yātavyaḥ śatror vigrahāpakārasamarthaḥ syāt

Translation

जब पैसे मिल गए और फिर स्लिप होने का डर हो, तब पीछे वाला दुश्मन हाथ बढ़ाता है। वो तब करता है जब राजा का दुश्मन कमज़ोर पड़ गया हो, उसके पैसे और ताकत कम हो गई हो। एक और केस है जब राजा जिस पर वार करना चाहता है, वो इतना स्ट्रांग हो कि उस दुश्मन को वार में हरा सके।

Word by Word

लब्धobtained, gained

लाभgain, profit, advantage

अपगमनेin the loss/cessation (of)

यस्मिन्in whom/wherein

अमित्रःthe enemy

लाभेनby gain, through advantage

शक्त्याby power/strength

हीनःdeprived, deficient

सःhe/that one

पार्ष्णिग्राहःrear-enemy; one who seizes the heel (attacks from behind)

अतिसंधत्तेplots/contrives excessively; makes an overreaching move

यस्यof whom/whose

वाor

यातव्यःto be gone against; to be marched against

शत्रोःof the enemy

विग्रहwar, open hostility

अपकारharm, injury

समर्थःcapable, competent

स्यात्should be / may be

Entities Mentioned

amitra (enemy)

pārṣṇigrāha (rear-enemy)

yātavya (intended target)

FAQs

What triggers a pārṣṇigrāha’s atisaṃdhi according to 7.13.21?

A moment when the primary enemy is weakened and the king’s gains are unstable, or when the king’s intended target can effectively damage that enemy through war—creating an exploitable imbalance.

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