Sutra 42

Devanagari script

तौ हि सुखौ भेदयितुम् दुष्टश्चैको द्वाभ्यां नियन्तुं भेदोपग्रहं चोपगन्तुमिति ॥ कZ_०७.५.४२ ॥

Transliteration

tau hi sukhau bhedayitum duṣṭaś caiko dvābhyāṃ niyantuṃ bhedopagrahaṃ copagantum iti

Translation

तौ हि सुखौ भेदयितुम्; दुष्टश्चैको द्वाभ्यां नियन्तुं, भेदोपग्रहं चोपगन्तुम् इति।

Word by Word

तौthose two (persons/kings)

हिindeed / for

सुखौeasy (to handle) / manageable (the two are easy)

भेदयितुम्to divide / to sow dissension

दुष्टःa wicked/unscrupulous (person)

चand

एकःone (person)

द्वाभ्याम्by/with two (persons/means)

नियन्तुम्to restrain / to control

भेदोपग्रहम्an auxiliary/lever for creating dissension

चand

उपगन्तुम्to resort to / to undertake / to employ

इतिthus

Entities Mentioned

two equal allies

bad actor (duṣṭa)

FAQs

Why is a pair of equals described as 'easy to divide'?

Parity often creates competition over credit and spoils; a third party can exploit this with selective rewards, blame, or separate bargains.

What does 'bhedopagraha' indicate as a toolkit?

Use dissension (bheda) alongside inducement/capture (upagraha)—splitting rivals while simultaneously recruiting or buying influence within them.