Sutra 17

Devanagari script

समेधाशास्तिभिश्चाभिगतानामङ्गविद्यया शिष्यसंज्ञाभिश्च कर्माण्यभिजने अवसितान्यादिशेत् अल्पलाभमग्निदाहं चोरभयं दूष्यवधं तुष्टिदानं विदेशप्रवृत्तिज्ञानमिदमद्य श्वो वा भविष्यति इदं वा राजा करिष्यति इति ॥ कZ_०१.११.१७ ॥

Transliteration

samedhāśāstibhiś cābhigatānām aṅgavidyayā śiṣyasaṃjñābhiś ca karmāṇy abhijane avasitāny ādiśet alpalābham agnidāhaṃ corabhayaṃ dūṣyavadhaṃ tuṣṭidānaṃ videśapravṛttijñānam idam adya śvo vā bhaviṣyati idaṃ vā rājā kariṣyati iti

Translation

Por meio de agentes treinados em persuasão calculada e disciplina—e por meio de outros que usem o nome de cobertura «estudantes»—ele deve designar, em círculos respeitáveis, operações previamente combinadas: (difundir) relatos de pequenos ganhos, um incidente de incêndio, medo de ladrões, a morte de uma pessoa corrupta/hostil, a concessão de gratificações e informações de inteligência sobre assuntos estrangeiros—dizendo: «Isto acontecerá hoje ou amanhã», ou «Isto é o que o rei fará».

Word by Word

समेधाःthe intelligent/wise persons

शास्तिभिःby punishments/disciplinary measures

चand

अभिगतानाम्of those who have been approached/attained (i.e., brought under influence)

अङ्गविद्ययाby means of auxiliary learning/branches of knowledge

शिष्यसंज्ञाभिःby (using) the designations/cover-identities of ‘students’

चand

कर्माणिacts/operations (measures)

अभिजनेin (his) lineage/family background

अवसितानिascertained/decided upon

आदिशेत्he should prescribe/issue instructions

अल्पलाभम्a small gain (small inducement)

अग्निदाहम्fire-damage/arson (loss by fire)

चोरभयम्fear of thieves/robbery risk

दूष्यवधम्killing/neutralizing a wrongdoer (criminal)

तुष्टिदानम्granting a gratification/appeasement gift

विदेशप्रवृत्तिज्ञानम्knowledge of activities/intentions in foreign lands

इदम्this

अद्यtoday

श्वःtomorrow

वाor

भविष्यतिwill happen/come to be

इदम्this

वाor

राजाthe king

करिष्यतिwill do/undertake

इतिthus (quoting)

Entities Mentioned

undercover agents (śiṣya-cover)

elite/social notables (abhijana)

king (rājā)

foreign polities (videśa)

FAQs

What is the administrative intent behind listing incidents like fire, theft-fear, and gratification?

They are controlled stimuli used to test loyalties, map networks, and steer elite expectations—creating conditions where reactions reveal character and alignments.