Sutra 22

Devanagari script

जातव्यसनप्रकृतिरन्ध्रमभिहन्तुकामः स्वारब्धमेकान्तसिद्धिं वास्य कर्मोपहन्तुकामो मूले यात्रायां वा प्रहर्तुकामो यातव्याद्भूयो लभमानो वा ज्यायांसं हीनं समं वा भूयो याचेत ॥ कZ_०७.७.२२ ॥

Transliteration

jātavyasanaprakṛtirandhramabhihantukāmaḥ svārabdhamekāntasiddhiṃ vāsya karmopahantukāmo mūle yātrāyāṃ vā prahartukāmo yātavyādbhūyo labhamāno vā jyāyāṃsaṃ hīnaṃ samaṃ vā bhūyo yāceta

Translation

若对方君主嗜于恶习且有可乘之隙，意欲打击其弱点；或欲阻挠敌方已开始的事业；或欲在根本处或行军作战中发动攻击；或若在被诱使出征之后仍不断获利——则（他）应再度向其索取更大、更小或相等的让步（视情而定）。

Word by Word

जातव्यसनप्रकृतिःone whose nature/constitution is already afflicted by vice/misfortune

अन्ध्रम्a weak spot; a vulnerable point

अभिहन्तुकामःdesiring to strike/attack

स्वारब्धम्what has been undertaken by oneself

एकान्तसिद्धिम्certain/assured success

वाor

अस्यof him; of this (person)

कर्मaction; operation; undertaking

उपहन्तुकामःwishing to harm/impair

मूलेat the base; at the root/source

यात्रायाम्in an expedition; during a march/campaign

वाor

प्रहर्तुकामःwishing to strike (suddenly)

यातव्याद्from the place/target that is to be reached (the destination)

भूयःagain; further; moreover

लभमानःobtaining; receiving

वाor

ज्यायांसम्a greater (amount); more

हीनम्less; inferior (amount)

समम्equal (amount)

वाor

भूयःagain; further

याचेत्should ask/demand

Entities Mentioned

vijigīṣu (implied)

enemy (implied)

auxiliary ruler/contracted ally (implied)

FAQs

When does Kauṭilya allow repeated demands in a bargain?

When the counterparty is vulnerable or vice-prone, or when operational opportunities arise (attack at base/campaign), or when the induced party keeps profiting—then demands can be renewed and adjusted.

What is the strategic intent of ‘bhūyo yāceta’ (ask again)?

To convert changing leverage during operations into improved terms, treating agreements as revisable under advantage.