Sutra 12

Devanagari script

सम्पन्ना नित्यामित्रा मन्दगुणा वा भूमिरनित्यामित्रेति सम्पन्ना नित्यामित्रा श्रेयसी भूमिः सम्पन्ना हि कोशदण्डौ सम्पादयति तौ चामित्रप्रतिघातकौ इत्याचार्याः ॥ कZ_०७.१०.१२ ॥

Transliteration

sampannā nityāmitrā mandaguṇā vā bhūmiranityāmitreti sampannā nityāmitrā śreyasī bhūmiḥ sampannā hi kośadaṇḍau sampādayati tau cāmitrapratighātakau ityācāryāḥ

Translation

ดินแดนที่อุดมสมบูรณ์ แม้มีศัตรูถาวรอยู่ใกล้—แม้คุณลักษณะจะเพียงปานกลาง—ก็ยังดีกว่าดินแดนอุดมสมบูรณ์ที่เผชิญศัตรูไม่ถาวร; เพราะดินแดนอุดมสมบูรณ์สร้างทั้งคลังและกำลังทหาร (โกศและทัณฑะ) และทั้งสองอย่างนี้ใช้โต้ตีศัตรูได้—ดังที่อาจารย์ทั้งหลายกล่าว

Word by Word

सम्पन्नाprosperous, well-equipped

नित्याpermanent, constant

अमित्राhaving an enemy; enemy-afflicted

मन्दगुणाhaving weak/poor qualities

वाor

भूमिःland; territory

अनित्याimpermanent, unstable

अमित्राhaving an enemy

इतिthus

सम्पन्नाprosperous

नित्याpermanent

अमित्राhaving an enemy

श्रेयसीbetter, preferable

भूमिःterritory

सम्पन्नाprosperous

हिindeed; for

कोशदण्डौthe treasury and the coercive power (army/punitive authority)

सम्पादयतिproduces; secures

तौthose two

चand

अमित्रप्रतिघातकौenemy-checking; capable of repelling the enemy

इतिthus

आचार्याःthe teachers (authorities)

Entities Mentioned

amitra (enemy)

kośa (treasury)

daṇḍa (army/coercion)

ācāryāḥ (teachers/authorities)

FAQs

Why prefer a productive land even when a permanent enemy is adjacent?

Because productivity generates kośa and daṇḍa, which are the durable instruments for deterring, containing, or defeating that enemy.

What is the underlying 'nīti' principle behind the teachers’ view?

Prioritize structural capacity (revenue + coercive power) over short-term threat fluctuations; strong institutions outlast changing enemy alignments.