Sutra 29

Devanagari script

निरुत्साहस्तु दण्डवानपि दण्डस्याप्रणेता सदण्डः क्षयव्ययेनावभज्यते ॥ कZ_०७.११.२९ ॥

Transliteration

nirutsāhas tu daṇḍavān api daṇḍasyāpraṇetā sadaṇḍaḥ kṣayavyayenāvabhajyate

Translation

然而，一个缺乏干劲的统治者——即使握有强制之力——若不能有效施行，也会在耗竭与浪费之下被击垮，尽管惩罚近在手中。

Word by Word

• निरुत्साहः: one who is lacking initiative/energy
• Type: Noun (Adjective used substantively)
• Root: निर्-उत्साह (उत्साह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण-रूपेण (निरुत्साहः = उत्साह-रहितः)

• तु: but, however
• Type: Particle
• Root: तु
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थे

• दण्डवान्: even if possessing the power of punishment/authority
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: दण्डवत् (दण्ड)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (दण्डवान् = दण्डयुक्तः/दण्डाधिकारयुक्तः)

• अपि: even, although
• Type: Particle
• Root: अपि
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थे (even)

• दण्डस्य: of punishment; of coercive authority
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन

• अप्रणेता: one who does not apply/enforce (it)
• Type: Noun (Agent)
• Root: प्र-नी (नी)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक (प्रणेता = प्रवर्तकः/प्रयोक्ता), नञर्थ-निषेधः

• सः: he
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (स)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• दण्डः: that punishment/authority
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; पूर्वपद-सम्बन्धेन ‘सः दण्डः’ = ‘that punishment/that authority’

• क्षयव्ययेन: by depletion and expenditure (i.e., through loss and waste)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय + व्यय
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (भाववाचक-समाहार), तृतीया एकवचन; ‘क्षय’ (depletion) + ‘व्यय’ (expenditure)

• अवभज्यते: is undermined / is ruined / gets broken down
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-भज्
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (is broken up/comes to ruin)

Entities Mentioned

• rājā
• daṇḍa (coercive power)

More Details

FAQs

What is the distinction between having daṇḍa and being ‘daṇḍasyāpraṇetā’?

Possession is not governance; legitimacy and order require timely, consistent, and competent application of coercive authority.