Skip to content
navigationtools

Arthashastra

Progress:37.6%

x

अतः प्रतिलोमा न अनुग्राह्याः ॥

friends of reverse character should never be helped.

english translation

तयोर् एक पुरुष अनुग्रहे यो मित्रं मित्र तरं वा अनुगृह्णाति सो अतिसंधत्ते ॥

Of the two, the conqueror and his enemy, both of whom may happen to have a friend in the same person, he who helps a true or a truer friend overreaches the other.

english translation

मित्राद् आत्म वृद्धिं हि प्राप्नोति, क्षय व्यय प्रवास पर उपकारान् इतरः ॥

for, by helping a true friend, he enriches himself, while the other not only incurs loss of men and money and the hardships of sojourning abroad.

english translation

कृत अर्थश् च शत्रुर् वैगुण्यम् एति ॥

but also showers benefits on an enemy who hates the benefactor all the more for his gratification.

english translation

मध्यमं त्व् अनुगृह्णतोर् यो मध्यमं मित्रं मित्रतरं वा अनुगृह्णाति सो अतिसंधत्ते ॥

Whoever of the two, the conqueror and his enemy, who may happen to have a friend in the same Madhyama king, helps a Madhyama king of true or truer friendship overreaches the other; for, by helping a true friend, he enriches himself, while the other incurs loss of men and money and the difficulties of sojourning abroad.

english translation