Sutra 9

Devanagari script

दण्डोपनायिवृत्तं संधिकर्म समाधिमोक्षः मध्यमचरितमुदासीनचरितं मण्डलचरितं इति षाड्गुण्यं सप्तममधिकरणम् ॥ कZ_०१.१.०९ए ॥

Transliteration

daṇḍopanāyivṛttaṃ saṃdhikarma samādhimokṣaḥ madhyamacaritam udāsīnacaritaṃ maṇḍalacaritaṃ iti ṣāḍguṇyaṃ saptamam adhikaraṇam

Translation

Cách hành xử liên quan đến sức mạnh cưỡng chế và hòa giải; các nghiệp vụ lập hiệp ước; việc lập và giải trừ một sự cam kết/bảo chứng (hoặc sắp đặt con tin); cách hành xử của vua trung gian; cách hành xử của vua trung lập; và cách hành xử trong vòng tròn các quốc gia—tất cả hợp lại thành ṣāḍguṇya; đây là mục chủ đề thứ bảy.

Word by Word

• दण्डोपनायिवृत्तम्: the course of action of (policy of) bringing over/conciliating through the use of punishment/discipline
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: दण्ड/उपनयिन्/वृत्त
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; समासपदम् (दण्ड-उपनायिन्-वृत्त)

• संधिकर्म: treaty-action; the act of making peace/alliance
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: संधि/कर्मन्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; समासपदम्

• समाधिमोक्षः: release from a settlement/compact; dissolution/termination of an agreement
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: समाधि/मोक्ष
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; समासपदम्

• मध्यमचरितम्: the policy/conduct of the middle king
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: मध्यम/चरित
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; समासपदम्

• उदासीनचरितम्: the policy/conduct of the neutral king
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: उदासीन/चरित
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; समासपदम्

• मण्डलचरितम्: the policy/conduct concerning the circle of states
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: मण्डल/चरित
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; समासपदम्

• इति: thus; so (ending the enumeration)
• Type: Particle
• Root: इति
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/समापनसूचक

• षाड्गुण्यम्: the six-fold policy (six measures of statecraft)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षाड्गुण्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया

• सप्तमम्: seventh
• Type: Adjective (ordinal)
• Root: सप्तम
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; ‘अधिकरणम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अधिकरणम्: topic; section/chapter
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिकरण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया

Entities Mentioned

• daṇḍa
• saṃdhi
• madhyama (middle king)
• udāsīna (neutral king)
• maṇḍala (circle of states)
• ṣāḍguṇya (six measures)

More Details

FAQs

What is the strategic objective (Artha) of this verse?

To define the treatise’s core interstate toolkit by listing the main operational areas of the sixfold foreign-policy measures, enabling the ruler to choose between coercion, agreement-making, guarantees, and role-based strategies (middle/neutral) within the wider geopolitical circle to secure the state’s security and prosperity.

How does this apply to modern governance?

It maps well to modern grand strategy: states combine hard power (coercion), soft inducements, treaties, security guarantees, and differentiated roles for mediators and non-aligned actors, all while assessing policy choices within a regional/international system rather than in isolation.

What is the specific duty of the ruler/official mentioned?

The ruler’s duty is to understand and operationalize the sixfold foreign-policy options—deciding when to compel, when to conciliate, how to structure treaties and guarantees, and how to act as (or respond to) middle and neutral powers within the broader circle of states.