Sutra 14

Devanagari script

नित्यामित्रालाभे भूयान् शत्रुलाभो भवति ॥ कZ_०७.१०.१४ ॥

Transliteration

nityāmitrālābhe bhūyān śatrulābho bhavati

Translation

เมื่อพยายามจะได้มา/สร้างศัตรูถาวร สุดท้ายกลับได้ศัตรูเพิ่มมากขึ้นเสียเอง।

Word by Word

• नित्यम्: always; invariably
• Type: Adverb
• Root: नित्य
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषणार्थे); नित्य-शब्दात् अव्ययीभाव/नपुंसकलिङ्ग एकवचन रूपेण क्रियाविशेषणवत् प्रयोगः

• अमित्रालाभे: in the non-acquisition (i.e., failure to gain) of an enemy
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमित्र + अलाभ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग? (अलाभः पुं); सप्तमी एकवचन; ‘अमित्रस्य अलाभे’ = अमित्र-सम्बन्धे अलाभ-स्थितौ (locative of circumstance)

• भूयान्: greater; more advantageous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूयस्
• Form: तुलनात्मक-विशेषण (comparative); पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘भूयान्’ = अधिकतरः/श्रेष्ठतरः

• शत्रुलाभः: the acquisition of an enemy (i.e., gaining an enemy)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु + लाभ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘शत्रोः लाभः’ = शत्रु-प्राप्तिः/शत्रु-लाभः

• भवति: happens; comes to be
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकालः), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमा पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; ‘भवति’ = occurs/is

Entities Mentioned

• nityāmitra (permanent enemy)
• śatru (enemy)

More Details

FAQs

What political dynamic is Kautilya warning about?

Escalation and coalition effects: creating a fixed, enduring adversary tends to polarize the environment and multiply hostile alignments.

How does this relate to policy choice in expansion?

Avoid actions that lock in permanent enmity unless the state has sufficient kośa, daṇḍa, and fortifications to absorb broader opposition.