Sutra 11

Devanagari script

पितृपैतामहो नित्यो वश्यस्तुष्टभृतपुत्रदारः प्रवासेष्वविसंवादितः सर्वत्राप्रतिहतो दुःखसहो बहुयुद्धः सर्वयुद्धप्रहरणविद्याविशारदः सहवृद्धिक्षयिकत्वादद्वैध्यः क्षत्रप्राय इति दण्डसम्पत् ॥ कZ_०६.१.११ ॥

Transliteration

pitṛpaitāmaho nityo vaśyas tuṣṭabhṛtaputradāraḥ pravāseṣv avisaṃvāditaḥ sarvatrāpratihato duḥkhasaho bahuyuddhaḥ sarvayuddhapraharaṇavidyāviśāradaḥ sahavṛddhikṣayikatvād advaidhyaḥ kṣatraprāya iti daṇḍasampat

Translation

强制之力（daṇḍa，刑杖/武力）的卓越在于：它世袭而恒常（制度上延续不绝）；纪律严明且可控；军队满意，其家属（子与妻）得到供养；即使远离本土出征亦可信赖；在各处行动无阻（具备作战能力）；能忍受艰苦；历经多次战斗；精通一切作战方式与兵器；因同担得失而不致分裂或三心二意；并且主要由受训的武士阶层构成——此即所谓“daṇḍa-sampat”（刑杖之资/武力之资）。

Word by Word

पितृपैतामहःhereditary (coming from father and grandfather)

नित्यःconstant, permanent

वश्यःamenable, obedient, controllable

तुष्टभृतपुत्रदारःone whose servants, sons, and wife/wives are contented

प्रवासेषुduring absences / while away (on journeys)

अविसंवादितःnot deceitful; not one who breaks trust/agreements

सर्वत्रeverywhere, in all situations

अप्रतिहतःunobstructed, unrepulsed, undefeated

दुःखसहःenduring hardship

बहुयुद्धःexperienced in many battles

सर्वयुद्धप्रहरणविद्याविशारदःskilled in all kinds of warfare and in the sciences/techniques of weapons

सहtogether with; owing to

वृद्धिincrease, prosperity

क्षयिकत्वात्because of being liable to decline/decay

अद्वैध्यःnot wavering; not double-minded; not in a state of divided loyalty

क्षत्रप्रायःpredominantly kshatriya-like; mostly martial in character

इतिthus

दण्डसम्पत्the excellence/qualification of coercive power (danda)

Entities Mentioned

daṇḍa (coercive power/army)

bhṛta (paid troops)

FAQs

What is the governance logic behind providing for soldiers’ families?

It reduces desertion and disloyalty, increases morale, and ties the army’s interests to the stability of the state.

How does ‘sahavṛddhikṣayikatvāt advaidhyaḥ’ function as a loyalty mechanism?

When the force shares both rewards and hardships with the ruler/state, it has fewer incentives to factionalize or switch allegiance.