Sutra 2

Devanagari script

तया स्वपक्षं परपक्षं च वशीकरोति कोशदण्डाभ्याम् ॥ कZ_०१.४.०२ ॥

Transliteration

tayā svapakṣaṃ parapakṣaṃ ca vaśīkaroti kośadaṇḍābhyām

Translation

ആ (ഭരണശാസ്ത്രം) മുഖേന അവൻ ഖജനാവും ദണ്ഡവും (ശിക്ഷാ-സംവിധാനം/സൈനികശക്തി) ഉപയോഗിച്ച് സ്വന്തം പക്ഷത്തെയും വിരോധിപക്ഷത്തെയും—ഇരുവരെയും നിയന്ത്രണത്തിലാക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

तयाby that; by it (i.e., by that policy/means)

स्वपक्षम्one’s own side/faction

परपक्षम्the other/opposing side

चand

वशीकरोतिbrings under control; subjugates

कोशदण्डाभ्याम्by the treasury and the rod (force/army)

Entities Mentioned

kośa (treasury)

daṇḍa (coercive power/army)

svapakṣa (own faction)

parapakṣa (opposition faction)

FAQs

What is the strategic objective (Artha) of this verse?

To assert that durable political control depends on two enforceable capacities: fiscal resources (treasury) to sustain administration and incentives, and coercive power (punishment/army) to enforce compliance—together enabling the ruler to manage both supporters and opponents.

How does this apply to modern governance?

Modern states similarly rely on (1) revenue and budgeting capacity to fund services, legitimacy-building programs, and institutions, and (2) rule-enforcement capacity through police, courts, and defense. Weakness in either produces fragility: money without enforcement invites defection, enforcement without resources becomes unsustainable.

What is the specific duty of the ruler/official mentioned?

The ruler’s duty is to maintain and deploy the treasury and the enforcement apparatus in a calibrated way to secure loyalty within the governing coalition and to deter or neutralize opposition—treating internal faction management as a core function of statecraft.