Sutra 9

Devanagari script

अन्धश्चलितशास्त्रो वा राजेति अशास्त्रचक्षुरन्धो यत्किंचनकारी दृढाभिनिवेशी परप्रणेयो वा राज्यमन्यायेनोपहन्ति चलितशास्त्रस्तु यत्र शास्त्राच्चलितमतिर्भवति शक्यानुनयो भवति इत्याचार्याः ॥ कZ_०८.२.०९ ॥

Transliteration

andhaś calitaśāstro vā rājeti aśāstracakṣur andho yatkiṃcanakārī dṛḍhābhiniveśī parapraṇeyo vā rājyam anyāyenopahanti calitaśāstras tu yatra śāstrāc calitamatiḥ bhavati śakyānunayo bhavati ity ācāryāḥ

Translation

「盲目の王、あるいはシャーストラ（śāstra）から逸脱した王である」と師たちは言う。シャーストラに盲い王—気ままに振る舞い、頑固に固執し、または他人に操られる者—は不義によって国家を損なう。だが、シャーストラからの逸れが単なる動揺で、判断がずれただけの者は、説得によってなお立ち返らせることができる。

Word by Word

अन्धःblind; undiscerning

चलितशास्त्रःone who has deviated from the śāstra

वाor

राजाking

इतिthus; as (so-called)

अशास्त्रचक्षुःone whose ‘eyes’ are not the śāstra; lacking śāstric vision

अन्धःblind

यत्किंचनकारीone who does anything indiscriminately

दृढाभिनिवेशीone with firm obstinate resolve; dogmatic

परप्रणेयःone led by others; pliable to others’ direction

वाor

राज्यम्the kingdom; the state

अन्यायेनby injustice; unlawfully

उपहन्तिthey harm; they damage

चलितशास्त्रःthe ‘deviated-from-śāstra’ (king)

तुbut; however

यत्रwhere; in the case where

शास्त्रात्from the śāstra

चलितमतिःone whose mind has strayed (from the śāstra)

भवतिbecomes; is

शक्यamenable; capable of being (dealt with)

अनुनयःconciliation; persuasion

भवतिis; becomes

इतिthus

आचार्याःthe teachers (authorities)

Entities Mentioned

king

teachers/ācāryas

advisers/manipulators

FAQs

What is the distinction between ‘andha’ and ‘calitaśāstra’ as governance types?

The ‘blind to śāstra’ ruler is structurally dangerous—arbitrary, stubborn, or puppet-like—while the ‘waverer’ can still be corrected through counsel and persuasion.

What is the administrative implication of ‘aśāstracakṣur’?

Without institutional/legal norms as ‘eyes,’ executive decisions become unpredictable and unjust, inviting state harm.