Sutra 15

Devanagari script

भेदमुभयोर्वा परस्परापदेशं प्रयुञ्जीत भिन्नयोरुपांशुदण्डम् ॥ कZ_०७.२.१५ ॥

Transliteration

bhedam ubhayor vā parasparāpadeśaṃ prayuñjīta bhinnayor upāṃśudaṇḍam

Translation

وہ دونوں کے درمیان پھوٹ ڈالے، یا ایک دوسرے پر باہمی الزام تراشی کرائے؛ جب وہ تقسیم ہو جائیں تو پوشیدہ طور پر سزا/کارروائی نافذ کرے۔

Word by Word

• भेदम्: dissension; the policy of creating a split
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिद्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया

• उभयोः: of both (parties)
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: उभ
• Form: (उभय) सर्वनाम-विशेषणवत्; षष्ठी; द्विवचन

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात

• परस्पर: mutually; against each other
• Type: Adverb
• Root: परस्पर
• Form: अव्यय; परस्परार्थे

• अपदेशम्: a pretext; an allegation/attribution (to set them against each other)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप + दिश्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया

• प्रयुञ्जीत: should employ; should apply
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + युज्
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• भिन्नयोः: of the two who are split; when the two have become divided
• Type: Adjective (Participle used as adjective)
• Root: भिद्
• Form: (भिन्न) भूतकृदन्त-प्रत्ययान्त; षष्ठी; द्विवचन; (पुं/नपुं समानरूप)

• उपांशु: secret; covert
• Type: Adjective/Adverb (indeclinable-like usage)
• Root: उपांशु
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्राय प्रयोग; ‘गुप्त/मन्द’ अर्थे; दण्डम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• दण्डम्: punishment; coercive measure
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया

Entities Mentioned

• two rival parties
• the strategist/king (implicit)

More Details

FAQs

Why does Kautilya recommend covert punishment after division?

Division reduces coordinated resistance; covert action preserves deniability and prevents reunification against the instigator.