Sutra 61

Devanagari script

पानसम्पत्संज्ञानाशोऽनुन्मत्तस्योन्मत्तत्वमप्रेतस्य प्रेतत्वं कौपीनदर्शनं श्रुतप्रज्ञाप्राणवित्तमित्रहानिः सद्भिर्वियोगोऽनर्थ्यसम्योगस्तन्त्रीगीतनैपुण्येषु चार्थघ्नेषु प्रसङ्ग इति ॥ कZ_०८.३.६१ ॥

Transliteration

pānasampatsaṃjñānāśo'nunmattasya unmattatvam apretasya pretatvaṃ kaupīnadarśanaṃ śrutaprajñāprāṇavittamitrahāniḥ sadbhir viyogo'narthyasamyogaḥ tantrīgītanaipuṇyeṣu cārthaghneṣu prasaṅga iti

Translation

पानसम्पदः संज्ञानाशः; अनुन्मत्तस्योन्मत्तत्वम्, अप्रेतस्य प्रेतत्वम्; कौपीनदर्शनम्; श्रुत-प्रज्ञा-प्राण-वित्त-मित्रहानिः; सद्भिर्वियोगः; अनर्थ्यसम्योगः; तन्त्रीगीतनैपुण्येषु चार्थघ्नेषु प्रसङ्गः—इति (पानव्यसनस्य फलानि)।

Word by Word

पानसम्पत्gain/prosperity from drinking (as a symptom)

संज्ञानाशःloss of consciousness/awareness

अनुन्मत्तस्यof a person who is not insane

उन्मत्तत्वम्insanity (the state of being insane)

अप्रेतस्यof one who is not dead

प्रेतत्वम्deadness; the state of being dead

कौपीनदर्शनम्appearance/showing of a loincloth

श्रुतप्रज्ञाप्राणवित्तमित्रहानिःloss of learning/reputation, intelligence, life, wealth, and friends

सद्भिःwith/by the good (respectable people)

वियोगःseparation

अनर्थ्यसम्योगःassociation with what is harmful/useless

तन्त्रीगीतनैपुण्येषुin skillfulness in instrumental music and singing

चand

अर्थघ्नेषुin things that destroy wealth/interest

प्रसङ्गःaddiction; excessive attachment/engagement

इतिthus

Entities Mentioned

sadbhiḥ (the virtuous/good people)

anarthya (worthless/harmful associates)

FAQs

Why does Kauṭilya treat ‘association with entertainers’ as an artha-risk?

Because it shifts the ruler’s time, attention, and spending toward pleasure networks that monetize access, foster flattery, and displace governance priorities—degrading revenue and control.

What is the political significance of ‘separation from the virtuous’?

It indicates advisory degradation: competent and principled counselors withdraw, leaving the ruler surrounded by opportunists, increasing policy error and vulnerability.