Sutra 22

Devanagari script

अपकारान्तेषु चास्य दूटं प्रेषयेत् ॥ कZ_१२.१.२२ ॥

Transliteration

apakārānteṣu cāsya dūṭaṃ preṣayet

Translation

அவனுக்கு எதிரான தீங்கு விளைவிக்கும் செயல்கள் உச்ச நிலையை அடைந்தபோது, அவனிடம் தூதனை அனுப்ப வேண்டும்.

Word by Word

• अपकारान्तेषु: at the concluding stages of an injury/hostility (i.e., when the hostile act is nearing its end)
• Type: Noun (compound adjective used substantively)
• Root: अपकार + अन्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; बहुव्रीह्यर्थे/विशेषणवत्; सप्तमी बहुवचन (अपकारान्तेषु = अपकारस्य अन्तेषु कालेषु/अवस्थासु)

• च: and; also
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• अस्य: of him; of this (king)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचन; (पुं/नपुं) ‘of him/this (king)’

• दूतम्: an envoy; messenger
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूत
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्म

• प्रेषयेत्: should send; should dispatch
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-इष् (प्रेषणे)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन; ‘he should send’

Entities Mentioned

• envoy (dūta)
• adversary

More Details

FAQs

Why send an envoy at the ‘end of harm’ rather than at the start?

Because negotiation is most effective when leverage is maximized and the adversary’s options are narrowed.