Arthashastra

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त्रिवर्ग भय संशुद्धान् अमात्यान् स्वेषु कर्मसु । अधिकुर्याद् यथा शौचम् इत्य् आचार्या व्यवस्थिताः ॥

Teachers have decided that in accordance with ascertained purity, the king shall employ in corresponding works those ministers whose character has been tested under the three pursuits of life, religion, wealth and love, and under fear.

english translation

trivarga bhaya saMzuddhAn amAtyAn sveSu karmasu । adhikuryAd yathA zaucam ity AcAryA vyavasthitAH ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

न त्व् एव कुर्याद् आत्मानं देवीं वा लक्ष्यम् ईश्वरः । शौच हेतोर् अमात्यानाम् एतत् कौटिल्य दर्शनम् ॥

Never, in the view of Kautilya, shall the king make himself or his queen an object (laksham, butt) of testing the character of his councillors.

english translation

na tv eva kuryAd AtmAnaM devIM vA lakSyam IzvaraH । zauca hetor amAtyAnAm etat kauTilya darzanam ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

न दूषणम् अदुष्टस्य विषेण इव अम्भसश् चरेत् । कदाचिद्द् हि प्रदुष्टस्य न अधिगम्येत भेषजम् ॥

He vitiate the pure like water with poison. Sometimes the prescribed medicine may fail to reach the person of moral disease.

english translation

na dUSaNam aduSTasya viSeNa iva ambhasaz caret । kadAcidd hi praduSTasya na adhigamyeta bheSajam ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

कृता च कलुषा बुद्धिर् उपधाभिश् चतुर्विधा । न अगत्वा अन्तं निवर्तेत स्थिता सत्त्ववतां धृतौ ॥

the mind of the valiant, though naturally kept steadfast, may not, when once vitiated and repelled under the four kinds of allurements, return to and recover its original form.

english translation

kRtA ca kaluSA buddhir upadhAbhiz caturvidhA । na agatvA antaM nivarteta sthitA sattvavatAM dhRtau ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

तस्माद् बाह्यम् अधिष्ठानं कृत्वा कार्ये चतुर्विधे । शौच अशौचम् अमात्यानां राजा मार्गेत सत्त्रिभिः ॥

Hence having set up an external object as the butt for all the four kinds of allurements, the king shall, through the agency of spies (satri), find out the pure or impure character of his ministers (amátya).

english translation

tasmAd bAhyam adhiSThAnaM kRtvA kArye caturvidhe । zauca azaucam amAtyAnAM rAjA mArgeta sattribhiH ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript