Sutra 8

Devanagari script

तयोः अर्थो न वेति अनर्थो न वेति अर्थोऽनर्थ इति अनर्थोऽर्थ इति संशयः ॥ कZ_०९.७.०८ ॥

Transliteration

tayoḥ artho na veti anartho na veti artho'nartha iti anartho'rtha iti saṃśayaḥ

Translation

तयोः (अर्थानर्थयोः) विषये—‘अर्थो न वा’, ‘अनर्थो न वा’, ‘अर्थः अनर्थो भवेत्’, ‘अनर्थः अर्थो भवेत्’—इति संशयः।

Word by Word

तयोःof the two (alternatives/cases)

अर्थःbenefit; advantageous outcome

नnot

वाor

इतिthus (saying/considering)

अनर्थःharm; disadvantage; adverse outcome

नnot

वाor

इतिthus

अर्थःbenefit

अनर्थःharm

इतिthus

अनर्थःharm

अर्थःbenefit

इतिthus

संशयःdoubt; indecision

Entities Mentioned

artha (gain)

anartha (harm)

FAQs

What decision problem is Kauṭilya highlighting?

Policy outcomes can flip signs over time; uncertainty includes misclassification (gain vs harm) and reversals (gain→harm, harm→gain).