Sutra 27

Devanagari script

मन्त्रिपुरोहितसेनापतियुवराजानामन्यतममदृश्यमाने भर्तरि पश्येत् यथाशक्ति चोपकुर्यात् ॥ कZ_०७.१५.२७ ॥

Transliteration

mantri-purohita-senāpati-yuvarājānām anyatamam adṛśyamāne bhartari paśyet yathāśakti ca upakuryāt

Translation

അധിപതി/സ്വാമി ലഭ്യമല്ലെങ്കിൽ, മന്ത്രി, പുരോഹിതൻ, സേനാപതി, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ യുവരാജാവ്—ഇവരിൽ ഒരാളെ സമീപിച്ച് തന്റെ ശേഷിയനുസരിച്ച് സഹായിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• मन्त्रि-पुरोहित-सेनापति-युवराजानाम्: of the minister, the chaplain (royal priest), the commander-in-chief, and the crown prince
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् / पुरोहित / सेनापति / युवराज
• Form: समासः: मन्त्रि+पुरोहित+सेनापति+युवराज (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः); विभक्ति: षष्ठी; वचनम्: बहुवचनम्; लिङ्गम्: पुं (समाहारः)

• अन्यतमम्: one (any one) of them
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: अन्यतम
• Form: विशेषणम्; विभक्ति: द्वितीया; वचनम्: एकवचनम्; लिङ्गम्: पुं/नपुं (सन्दर्भे पुं—‘भर्तरि’ इति)

• अदृश्यमाने: when (he) is not seen / in the absence (of)
• Type: Participle (Verbal adjective)
• Root: दृश्
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि (लट्-भावे) शानच्-प्रत्ययान्तः; धातुः: दृश्; उपसर्गः: अ- (निषेधः); विभक्ति: सप्तमी; वचनम्: एकवचनम्; लिङ्गम्: पुं/नपुं; ‘भर्तरि’ इत्यनेन सह साप्तमी-सम्बन्धः (सप्तमी-absolute/locative condition)

• भर्तरि: in the lord/king (i.e., when the king is absent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ
• Form: विभक्ति: सप्तमी; वचनम्: एकवचनम्; लिङ्गम्: पुं; अर्थे: स्वामी/राजा

• पश्येत्: he should look to / he should approach/attend to
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: लकारः: विधिलिङ्; पुरुषः: प्रथम; वचनम्: एकवचनम्; पदम्: परस्मैपदम्; धातुः: दृश् (पश्य-आदेशः)

• यथा-शक्ति: according to (his) ability
• Type: Indeclinable (Avyayībhāva)
• Root: शक्ति
• Form: समासः: यथा + शक्ति; अव्ययत्वम्; क्रियाविशेषणम्

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• उपकुर्यात्: he should render assistance / do service
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: उपसर्गः: उप-; लकारः: विधिलिङ्; पुरुषः: प्रथम; वचनम्: एकवचनम्; पदम्: परस्मैपदम्; धातुः: कृ

Entities Mentioned

• mantri
• purohita
• senāpati
• yuvarāja
• bhartṛ (overlord/master)

More Details

FAQs

What does this sutra advise in practical governance?

Maintain influence and protection through alternative power centers when the sovereign is inaccessible; keep administrative relationships active via key gatekeepers.

Why these four roles?

They represent policy (minister), legitimacy/ritual authority (chaplain), coercive capacity (commander), and succession/continuity (crown prince).