Sutra 2

Devanagari script

सामन्तं सामन्तेन सम्भूय यायात् यदि वा मन्येत पार्ष्णिं मे न ग्रहीष्यति पार्ष्णिग्राहं वारयिष्यति यातव्यं नाभिसरिष्यति बलद्वैगुण्यं मे भविष्यति वीवधासारौ मे प्रवर्तयिष्यति परस्य वारयिष्यति बह्वाबाधे मे पथि कण्टकान्मर्दयिष्यति दुर्गाटव्यपसारेषु दण्डेन चरिष्यति यातव्यमविषह्ये दोषे संधौ वा स्थापयिष्यति लब्धलाभांशो वा शत्रूनन्यान्मे विश्वासयिष्यति इति ॥ कZ_०७.७.०२ ॥

Transliteration

sāmantaṃ sāmantena sambhūya yāyāt yadi vā manyeta pārṣṇiṃ me na grahīṣyati pārṣṇigrāhaṃ vārayiṣyati yātavyaṃ nābhisariṣyati baladvaiguṇyaṃ me bhaviṣyati vīvadhāsārau me pravartayiṣyati parasya vārayiṣyati bahvābādhe me pathi kaṇṭakānmardayiṣyati durgāṭavyapasāreṣu daṇḍena cariṣyati yātavyamaviṣahye doṣe saṃdhau vā sthāpayiṣyati labdhalābhāṃśo vā śatrūnanyānme viśvāsayiṣyati iti

Translation

เขาควรยกทัพร่วมกับกษัตริย์ชายแดน (sāmanta) องค์หนึ่งเพื่อต่อสู้กับกษัตริย์ชายแดนอีกองค์หนึ่ง หากเขาประเมินว่า: ‘เขาจะไม่ยึดด้านหลังของข้า (pārṣṇi); เขาจะยับยั้งผู้ยึดด้านหลัง (pārṣṇigrāha); เขาจะไม่หันกลับมาต่อต้านข้า; กำลังของข้าจะเสมือนเพิ่มเป็นสองเท่า; เขาจะเริ่มหรือกดปราบการปล้นสะดม/ก่อกวน (vīvadhā); บนเส้นทางที่มีอุปสรรคมากเขาจะบดขยี้สิ่งกีดขวาง; ในปฏิบัติการเกี่ยวกับป้อมและการถางป่าเขาจะใช้กำลังบังคับ; หากมีความผิดที่ทนไม่ได้จะผูกมัดเขาไว้ด้วยสนธิสัญญา; และเมื่อได้ส่วนแบ่งผลประโยชน์แล้ว เขาจะทำให้ศัตรูอื่นๆ ของข้าเบาใจและนำมาสู่ความไว้วางใจ’

Word by Word

सामन्तम्a frontier/vassal king (as the object)

सामन्तेनwith/through a frontier (vassal) king

सम्भूयhaving joined together / in coalition

यायात्should march/go

यदिif

वाor

मन्येतshould think/consider

पार्ष्णिम्my rear (heel), i.e., rear-side threat

मेmy

नnot

ग्रहीष्यतिwill seize/attack

पार्ष्णिग्राहम्the rear-attacker (rear enemy)

वारयिष्यतिwill restrain/block

यातव्यम्it is to be marched / one should go

नnot

अभिसरिष्यतिwill advance/attack (towards)

बलद्वैगुण्यम्doubling of my forces/strength

मेfor me / my

भविष्यतिwill be / will occur

वीवधासारौthe two (measures) ‘vīvadhā’ and ‘āsāra’ (pair of coercive/harassing operations)

मेfor me / my

प्रवर्तयिष्यतिwill initiate/carry out

परस्यof the enemy/other (king)

वारयिष्यतिwill restrain/block

बह्वाबाधेwhen there is much obstruction (on the way)

मेmy

पथिon the route

कण्टकान्thorns; i.e., obstacles/trouble-makers

मर्दयिष्यतिwill crush/suppress

दुर्गाटव्यपसारेषुin (operations of) retreat/withdrawal via forts and forests

दण्डेनby force/punitive power

चरिष्यतिwill operate/move

यातव्यम्one should go / it is to be marched

अविषह्येin an unbearable (situation)

दोषेin a grave fault/danger

सन्धौin a treaty/peace (arrangement)

वाor

स्थापयिष्यतिwill place/settle (me)

लब्धलाभांशः(he) having obtained a share of gains

वाor

शत्रून्enemies

अन्यान्other (enemies/others)

मेin me / my

विश्वासयिष्यतिwill inspire confidence / make (them) trust

इतिthus

Entities Mentioned

vijigīṣu (implied decision-maker)

sāmanta (ally)

sāmanta (target/other neighbor)

pārṣṇigrāha (rear-attacker)

FAQs

What is the decision rule for marching with an ally here?

March with a neighboring ally only if he reduces rear-risk, increases effective strength, secures routes, supports coercive operations in difficult terrain, and can be held to treaty discipline.

Why does Kautilya emphasize ‘rear’ (pārṣṇi) so strongly?

Because expeditionary campaigns fail when supply lines and the homeland are exposed; controlling rear-threats is a prerequisite to outward expansion.