Kautilya's Arthashastra 1.10: Chapter 10 (Section 6): Ascertainment of the Integrity of Ministers by Means of Secret Tests

1.10.1

mantripurohitasakhaḥ sāmānyeṣv adhikaraṇeṣu sthāpayitvāmātyān upadhābhiḥ śodhayet //

ASSISTED by his prime minister (mantri) and his high priest, the king shall, by offering temptations, examine the character of ministers (amátya) appointed in government departments of ordinary nature.

1.10.2

purohitam ayājyayājanādhyāpane niyuktam amṛṣyamāṇaṃ rājāvakṣipet //

The king shall dismiss a priest who, when ordered, refuses to teach the Vedás to an outcaste person or to officiate in a sacrificial performance (apparently) undertaken by an outcaste person (ayájya).

1.10.3

sa sattribhiḥ śapathapūrvam ekaikam amātyam upajāpayet - "adhārmiko ayaṃ rājā, sādhu dhārmikam anyam asya tatkulīnam aparuddhaṃ kulyam ekapragrahaṃ sāmantam āṭavikam aupapādikaṃ vā pratipādayāmaḥ, sarveṣām etad rocate, kathaṃ vā tava" iti //

Then the dismissed priest shall, through the medium of spies under the guise of class-mates (satri), instigate each minister one after another, saying on oath "this king is unrighteous; well let us set up in his place another king who is righteous, or who is born of the same family as of this king, or who is kept imprisoned, or a neighbouring king of his family and of self-sufficiency (ekapragraha), or a wild chief (atavika), or an upstart (aupapádika); this attempt is to the liking of all of us; what dost thou think?"

1.10.4

pratyākhyāne śuciḥ / iti dharmopadhā //

If any one or all of the ministers refuse to acquiesce in such a measure, he or they shall be considered pure. This is what is called religious allurement.

1.10.5

senāpatir asatpragraheṇāvakṣiptaḥ sattribhir ekaikam amātyam upajāpayet lobhanīyenārthena rājavināśāya, "sarveṣām etad rocate, kathaṃ vā tava" iti //

A commander of the army, dismissed from service for receiving condemnable things (asatpragraha) may, through the agency of spies under the guise of class-mates (satri), incite each minister to murder the king in view of acquiring immense wealth, each minister being asked "this attempt is to the liking of all of us; what dost thou think?"

1.10.6

pratyākhyāne śuciḥ / ity arthopadhā //

If they refuse to agree, they are to be considered pure. This is what is termed monetary allurement.

1.10.7

parivrājikā labdhaviśvāsāntaḥpure kṛtasatkārā mahāmātram ekaikam upajapet - "rājamahiṣī tvāṃ kāmayate kṛtasamāgamopāyā, mahān arthaś ca te bhaviṣyati" iti //

A woman-spy under the guise of an ascetic and highly esteemed in the harem of the king may allure each prime minister (mahámátra) one after another, saying "the queen is enamoured of thee and has made arrangements for thy entrance into her chamber; besides this, there is also the certainty of large acquisitions of wealth."

1.10.8

pratyākhyāne śuciḥ / iti kāmopadhā //

If they discard the proposal, they are pure. This is what is styled love-allurement.

1.10.9

prahavaṇanimittam eko amātyaḥ sarvān amātyān āvāhayet //

With the intention of sailing on a commercial vessel (prahavananimittam), a minister may induce all other ministers to follow him. Apprehensive of danger, the king may arrest them all. A spy under the guise of a fraudulent disciple, pretending to have suffered imprisonment may incite each of the ministers thus deprived of wealth and rank, saying, "the king has betaken himself to an unwise course; well, having murdered him, let us put another in his stead. We all like this; what dost thou think?"

1.10.10

tenodvegena rājā tān avarundhyāt //

1.10.11

kāpaṭikaś cātra pūrvāvaruddhas teṣām arthamānāvakṣiptam ekaikam amātyam upajapet - "asat pravṛtto ayaṃ rājā, sādhv enaṃ hatvānyaṃ pratipādayāmaḥ, sarveṣām etad rocate, kathaṃ vā tava" iti //

1.10.12

pratyākhyāne śuciḥ / iti bhayopadhā //

If they refuse to agree, they are pure. This is what is termed allurement under fear.

1.10.13

tatra dharmopadhāśuddhān dharmasthīyakaṇṭakaśodhaneṣu karmasu sthāpayet, arthopadhāśuddhān samāhartṛsamnidhātṛnicayakarmasu, kāmopadhā śuddhān bāhyābhyantaravihārarakṣāsu, bhayopadhāśuddhān āsannakāryeṣu rājñaḥ //

Of these tried ministers, those whose character has been tested under religious allurements shall be employed in civil and criminal courts (dharmasthaníyakantaka sodhaneshu); those whose purity has been tested under monetary allurements shall be employed in the work of a revenue collector and chamberlain; those who have been tried under love-allurements shall be appointed to superintend the pleasure-grounds (vihára) both external and internal; those who have been tested by allurements under fear shall be appointed to immediate service; and those whose character has been tested under all kinds of allurements shall be employed as prime ministers (mantrinah), while those who are proved impure under one or all of these allurements shall be appointed in mines, timber and elephant forests, and manufactories.

1.10.14

sarvopadhāśuddhān mantriṇaḥ kuryāt //

1.10.15

sarvatrāśucīn khanidravyahastivanakarmānteṣu upayojayet //

1.10.16

trivargabhayasaṃśuddhān amātyān sveṣu karmasu /
adhikuryād yathā śaucam ity ācāryā vyavasthitāḥ //

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.

1.10.17

na tv eva kuryād ātmānaṃ devīṃ vā lakṣyam īśvaraḥ /
śaucahetor amātyānām etat kauṭilyadarśanam //

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, nor shall he vitiate the pure like water with poison.

1.10.18

na dūṣaṇam aduṣṭasya viṣeṇevāmbhasaś caret /
kadācidd hi praduṣṭasya nādhigamyeta bheṣajam //

Sometimes the prescribed medicine may fail to reach the person of moral disease; 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.

1.10.19

kṛtā ca kaluṣābuddhir upadhābhiś caturvidhā /
nāgatvāntaṃ nivarteta sthitā sattvavatāṃ dhṛtau //

1.10.20

tasmād bāhyam adhiṣṭhānaṃ kṛtvā kārye caturvidhe /
śaucāśaucam amātyānāṃ rājā mārgeta sattribhiḥ //E

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).