Arthashastra

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कुण्ठा बहवः श्रेयांसः, स्कन्ध विनियोगाद् अनेकं कर्म कुर्वाणाः स्वेषाम् अपाश्रयो युद्धे, परेषां दुर्धर्षा विभीषणाश् च ॥

a large number of effete persons is better, inasmuch as they can be employed to do other kinds of works in the camp: to serve the soldiers fighting in battlefields, and to terrify the enemy by its number.

english translation

kuNThA bahavaH zreyAMsaH, skandha viniyogAd anekaM karma kurvANAH sveSAm apAzrayo yuddhe, pareSAM durdharSA vibhISaNAz ca ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

बहुषु हि कुण्ठेषु विनय कर्मणा शक्यं शौर्यम् आधातुम्, न त्व् एव अल्पेषु शूरेषु बहुत्वम् इति ॥

It is also possible to infuse spirit and enthusiasm in the timid by means of discipline and training.

english translation

bahuSu hi kuNTheSu vinaya karmaNA zakyaM zauryam AdhAtum, na tv eva alpeSu zUreSu bahutvam iti ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

खन्योर् अपि यः प्रभूत साराम् अदुर्ग मार्गाम् अल्प व्यय आरम्भां खनिं खानयति, सो अतिसंधत्ते ॥

Of mines, whoever exploits with less labour and expenditure a mine of valuable output and of easy communication overreaches the other.

english translation

khanyor api yaH prabhUta sArAm adurga mArgAm alpa vyaya ArambhAM khaniM khAnayati, so atisaMdhatte ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

तत्र अपि महा सारम् अल्पम् अल्प सारं वा प्रभूतम् इति "महा सारम् अल्पं श्रेयः, वज्र मणि मुक्ता प्रवाल हेम रूप्य धातुर् हि प्रभूतम् अल्प सारम् अत्यर्घेण ग्रसते" इत्य् आचार्याः ॥

Which is better of the two, a small mine of valuable yield, or a big mine productive of commodities of inferior value? My teacher says that the former is better inasmuch as valuable products, such as diamonds, precious stones, pearls, corals, gold and silver, can swallow vast quantities of inferior commodities.

english translation

tatra api mahA sAram alpam alpa sAraM vA prabhUtam iti "mahA sAram alpaM zreyaH, vajra maNi muktA pravAla hema rUpya dhAtur hi prabhUtam alpa sAram atyargheNa grasate" ity AcAryAH ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

न इति कौटिल्यः ॥

Not so, says Kautilya.

english translation