Arthashastra

siva.sh/arthashastra/sadgunya/17/20

जात्याद् अजात्यो हि लुप्त दायाद संतानत्वाद् आधातुं श्रेयान्, प्राज्ञाद् अप्राज्ञो मन्त्र शक्ति लोपात्, शूराद् अशूर उत्साह शक्ति लोपात्, कृत अस्त्राद् अकृत अस्त्रः प्रहर्तव्य सम्पल् लोपात्, एक पुत्राद् अनेक पुत्रो निरपेक्षत्वात् ॥

sanskrit

better to give a timid son than a brave one, inasmuch as the former is destitute of martial spirit; better, a son who is not trained in military art than one who is trained, inasmuch as the former is devoid of the capacity for striking an enemy; and better one of many sons than an only son, since many sons are not wanted.

english translation

jAtyAd ajAtyo hi lupta dAyAda saMtAnatvAd AdhAtuM zreyAn, prAjJAd aprAjJo mantra zakti lopAt, zUrAd azUra utsAha zakti lopAt, kRta astrAd akRta astraH prahartavya sampal lopAt, eka putrAd aneka putro nirapekSatvAt ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

siva.sh/arthashastra/sadgunya/17/20

जात्याद् अजात्यो हि लुप्त दायाद संतानत्वाद् आधातुं श्रेयान्, प्राज्ञाद् अप्राज्ञो मन्त्र शक्ति लोपात्, शूराद् अशूर उत्साह शक्ति लोपात्, कृत अस्त्राद् अकृत अस्त्रः प्रहर्तव्य सम्पल् लोपात्, एक पुत्राद् अनेक पुत्रो निरपेक्षत्वात् ॥

sanskrit

better to give a timid son than a brave one, inasmuch as the former is destitute of martial spirit; better, a son who is not trained in military art than one who is trained, inasmuch as the former is devoid of the capacity for striking an enemy; and better one of many sons than an only son, since many sons are not wanted.

english translation

jAtyAd ajAtyo hi lupta dAyAda saMtAnatvAd AdhAtuM zreyAn, prAjJAd aprAjJo mantra zakti lopAt, zUrAd azUra utsAha zakti lopAt, kRta astrAd akRta astraH prahartavya sampal lopAt, eka putrAd aneka putro nirapekSatvAt ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript