Sutra 5

Devanagari script

सत्यं शपथो वा परत्रेह च स्थावरः संधिः इहार्थ एव प्रतिभूः प्रतिग्रहो वा बलापेक्षः ॥ कZ_०७.१७.०५ ॥

Transliteration

satyaṃ śapatho vā paratreha ca sthāvaraḥ saṃdhiḥ ihārtha eva pratibhūḥ pratigraho vā balāpekṣaḥ

Translation

Kejujuran atau sumpah membentuk perjanjian yang tahan lama baik di dunia ini maupun di alam sesudahnya; tetapi penjamin atau jaminan yang diterima hanya berlaku untuk tujuan duniawi dan bergantung pada kekuatan relatif.

Word by Word

• सत्यम्: truth; a truthful statement/assurance
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: सत्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (अव्ययीभाववत् ‘सत्यम्’ = ‘सत्यतः/सत्येन’ अर्थे)

• शपथः: an oath
• Type: Noun
• Root: शपथ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय

• परत्र: there; in the other place/world
• Type: Adverb
• Root: परत्र
• Form: देश/कालवाचक अव्यय

• इह: here; in this world/this place
• Type: Adverb
• Root: इह
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• स्थावरः: firm; stable; fixed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थावर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; ‘संधिः’ इति विशेषणम्

• संधिः: alliance/treaty; pact
• Type: Noun
• Root: संधि
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा

• इह: here; in this case
• Type: Adverb
• Root: इह
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय

• अर्थः: benefit; interest; purpose
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा

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

• प्रतिभूः: a surety; guarantor
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिभू
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा

• प्रतिग्रहः: acceptance; receiving (a pledge/undertaking)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिग्रह
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय

• बलापेक्षः: dependent on force/strength; contingent on power
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलापेक्ष
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; ‘संधिः’ इति विशेषणम्; समासः: बल-अपेक्ष (षष्ठी/उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

Entities Mentioned

• śapatha (oath)
• pratibhū (guarantor)
• bala (power/strength)

More Details

FAQs

What is Kautilya’s realism in this sutra?

Material guarantees (surety/pledge) work only when backed by power; without strength, enforcement collapses.

Why mention ‘here and hereafter’?

To distinguish moral-religious constraints (oath/truth) from purely strategic constraints; the former claims durability beyond immediate material incentives.