Sutra 5

Devanagari script

दौवारिकान्तर्वंशिकमुखश्च यथोक्तं राजप्रणिधिमनुवर्तयेत् ॥ कZ_०५.६.०५ ॥

Transliteration

dauvārikāntarvaṃśikamukhaś ca yathoktaṃ rājapraṇidhim anuvartayet

Translation

门卫、内廷人员（后宫/内室）以及总管，应依所规定，通过可信的代理人，遵从并执行国王的机密指令。

Word by Word

• दौवारिक: doorkeeper, gate-guard (palace official)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (कर्तृपद; समुच्चित-कर्तृसमास-समूहस्य अङ्गम्)

• अन्तर्वंशिक: inner-palace attendant (a specific court servant)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; अन्तः+वंशिक (अन्तःपुर-सम्बद्धः वंशिकः)

• मुखः: the chief (officer)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; ‘दौवारिक-अन्तर्वंशिक-…’ इत्यस्य समुच्चयस्य अन्तिमः कर्तृपदः

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• यथा-उक्तम्: as stated earlier; as prescribed
• Type: Indeclinable (Kṛdanta used adverbially)
• Root: वच्
• Form: यथा + उक्तम्; अव्ययीभावः; क्रियाविशेषणम्

• राज-प्रणिधिम्: the king’s agent/spy (supervisory planted officer)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र-धा
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनम्; राजस्य प्रणिधिः (राज-सम्बद्धः गुप्तचर/निरीक्षकः)

• अनुवर्तयेत्: should make (him) follow; should cause to comply/act in accordance
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत्
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (आज्ञा/विधानार्थः); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः; एकवचनम्; causative sense: अनु+वर्त् → अनुवर्तयति (to cause to follow/comply)

Entities Mentioned

• king
• gatekeeper (dauvārika)
• inner-chamber staff (antarvaṃśika)
• chief officer (mukha)
• royal agents (praṇidhi)

More Details

FAQs

Why does Kauṭilya specify palace functionaries like the gatekeeper and inner-chamber staff?

They control access and proximity to the ruler; using them to implement confidential directives secures both information flow and operational secrecy.

What is the administrative intent of ‘rājapraṇidhi’?

It indicates governance through trusted emissaries/agents—orders are transmitted and executed through controlled, reliable channels.