Abhiyasyatkarma Adhyaya 3 Sutra 26 - Arthashastra | Chinese | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 26

Devanagari script

अमित्राद्वा सत्त्री भेदयेदेनं अयं त्वा योगपुरुषं मन्यमानो भर्तर्येव विक्रमयिष्यति अवाप्तार्थो दण्डचारिणममित्राटविकेषु कृच्छ्रे वा प्रयासे योक्ष्यति विपुत्रदारमन्ते वा वासयिष्यति ॥ कZ_०९.३.२६ ॥

Transliteration

amitrād vā sattrī bhedayed enaṃ: ayaṃ tvā yogapuruṣaṃ manyamāno bhartary eva vikramayiṣyati; avāptārtho daṇḍacāriṇam amitrāṭavikeṣu kṛcchre vā prayāse yokṣyati, viputradāram ante vā vāsayiṣyati

Translation

或者，应由一名密探（sattrī）用如下说辞离间他与敌方：“他把你当作潜伏特工（yogapuruṣa），因此只会让你去对付你自己的主君。等他达成目的后，就会把你——作为强制的工具——派到敌对的林野地区，或让你承担艰苦劳累的差事；最终还会把你安置在败落之境，使你落得无子无妻。”

Word by Word

अमित्रात्from the enemy

वाor

सत्त्रीa spy/agent

भेदयेत्should cause dissension (in him) / should split him

एनम्him

अयम्this (man)

त्वाyou

योगपुरुषम्a stratagem-agent / operative

मन्यमानःthinking / supposing

भर्तरिin/against his master

एवindeed / just

विक्रमयिष्यतिwill make (him) act / will instigate (him)

अवाप्तार्थःhaving attained his aim

दण्डचारिणम्a punitive/armed man; one who wields punishment

अमित्राटविकेषुamong the enemy’s forest-tribes/forest-men

कृच्छ्रेin hardship/distress

वाor

प्रयासेin exertion/strain

योक्ष्यतिwill employ / will yoke (him)

विपुत्रदारम्without son and wife

अन्तेin the end

वाor

वासयिष्यतिwill cause (him) to dwell / will settle (him)

Entities Mentioned

amitra (enemy)

sattrī (agent)

yogapuruṣa (covert operative)

bhartṛ (master/sovereign)

FAQs

What tactic is recommended to prevent an official/agent from aligning with an enemy?

Use a trusted covert messenger to reframe the enemy as exploitative—someone who will use the person against their own side and discard them after extracting value.

What is the administrative purpose of the 'hardship posting' warning?

To make defection appear materially and socially catastrophic (dangerous assignments, loss of family standing), increasing loyalty through negative incentive.