Sutra 2

Devanagari script

तस्य कण्टकशोधनं वक्ष्यामः ॥ कZ_०४.४.०२ ॥

Transliteration

tasya kaṇṭakaśodhanaṃ vakṣyāmaḥ ॥

Translation

अथ तस्मिन् जनपदे कण्टकशोधनं (अर्थात् अहिततत्त्वानां/अपराधस्य निग्रहः) वक्ष्यामः।

Word by Word

• तस्य: of that; thereof (in that context/section)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचनम् (पुं/नपुं), सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिकम्; सम्बन्ध/अधिकार-निर्देशः

• कण्टकशोधनम्: the removal/eradication of thorns (i.e., suppression of criminals and public nuisances)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुध् (शोधन) / कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; भाववाचक-नाम (शोधन)

• वक्ष्यामः: we shall explain
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (भविष्यत्कालः), उत्तमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्; ‘we shall state/explain’

Entities Mentioned

• janapada

More Details

FAQs

What does ‘kaṇṭaka’ mean in Arthashastra’s administrative language?

It denotes persons/practices that injure the realm—criminals, corrupt officials, predatory intermediaries, and disruptive frauds—treated as ‘thorns’ to be removed for stable governance.