Sutra 27

Devanagari script

उदासीनश्चेन्मध्यमं लिप्सेत यतः शत्रुमतिसंदध्यान्मित्रस्योपकारं कुर्यादुदासीनं वा दण्डोपकारिणं लभेत ततः परिणमेत ॥ कZ_०७.१८.२७ ॥

Transliteration

udāsīnaś cen madhyamaṃ lipseta yataḥ śatrumatisaṃdadhyān mitrasyopakāraṃ kuryād udāsīnaṃ vā daṇḍopakāriṇaṃ labheta tataḥ pariṇameta

Translation

Se o neutro (udāsīna) procurar obter/atrair o rei intermediário (madhyama)—porque, ao alinhar as intenções do inimigo (ou ao organizar a política do inimigo), pode prestar auxílio ao aliado de alguém, ou então conseguir um neutro que forneça apoio de força (daṇḍa-upakāra)—então deve-se, em conformidade, mudar/ajustar a própria postura (pariṇameta).

Word by Word

उदासीनःthe neutral (king)

चेत्if

मध्यमम्the middle (king)

लिप्सेतshould desire to obtain / should seek to win over

यतःbecause / since

शत्रुमतिin/with regard to the enemy’s intention

संदध्यात्he should make an arrangement / form an alliance

मित्रस्यof the ally

उपकारम्help / service / benefit

कुर्यात्should do / should render

उदासीनम्the neutral (king)

वाor

दण्डोपकारिणम्one who renders help through force/punishment

लभेतshould obtain / should secure

ततःthen / thereafter

परिणमेतshould turn/realign accordingly

Entities Mentioned

udāsīna

madhyama

śatru (enemy)

mitra (ally)

daṇḍa (coercive power)

FAQs

What is the key policy move recommended?

Adaptive realignment: when a neutral’s pursuit of the middle king can be leveraged to benefit your ally or gain force-support, adjust your diplomatic posture to exploit that opening.

What does ‘daṇḍopakāriṇa’ imply administratively?

A partner who can supply coercive capacity—troops, threat, punitive leverage—rather than mere goodwill.