Kautilya's Arthashastra 6.1: Chapter 1 (Section 96): Excellences of Constituents

6.1.1

svāmyamātyajanapadadurgakośadaṇḍamitrāṇi prakṛtayaḥ //

THE king, the minister, the country, the fort, the treasury, the army and the friend are the elements of sovereignty.

6.1.2

tatra svāmisampat //

Of these, the best qualities of the king are:--

6.1.3

mahākulīno daivabuddhisattvasampanno vṛddhadarśī dhārmikaḥ satyavāg avisaṃvādakaḥ kṛtajñaḥ sthūlalakṣo mahotsāho 'dīrghasūtraḥ śakyasāmanto dṛḍhabuddhir akṣudrapariṣatko vinayakāma ity ābhigāmikā guṇāḥ //

Born of a high family, godly, possessed of valour, seeing through the medium of aged persons, virtuous, truthful, not of a contradictory nature, grateful, having large aims, highly enthusiastic, not addicted to procrastination, powerful to control his neighbouring kings, of resolute mind, having an assembly of ministers of no mean quality, and possessed of a taste for discipline;--these are the qualities of an inviting nature.

6.1.4

śuśrūṣāśravaṇagrahaṇadhāraṇavijñānohāpohatattva.abhiniveśāḥ prajñāguṇāḥ //

Inquiry, hearing, perception, retention in memory, reflection, deliberation, inference and steadfast adherence to conclusions are the qualities of the intellect.

6.1.5

śauryam amarṣaḥ śīghratā dākṣyaṃ cotsāhaguṇāḥ //

Valour, determination of purpose, quickness, and probity are the aspects of enthusiasm.

6.1.6

vāgmī pragalbhaḥ smṛtimatibalavān udagraḥ svavagrahaḥ kṛtaśilpo 'vyasano daṇḍanāyy upakārāpakārayor dṛṣṭapratīkārī hrīmān āpatprakṛtyor viniyoktā dīrghadūradarśī deśakālapuruṣakārakāryapradhānaḥ saṃdhivikramatyāgasamyamapaṇaparacchidravibhāgī saṃvṛto 'dīnābhihāsyajihmabhrukuṭīkṣaṇaḥ
kāmakrodhalobhastambhacāpalopatāpapaiśunyahīnaḥ śaklaḥ smitodagrābhibhāṣī vṛddhopadeśācāra ity ātmasampat //

Possessed of a sharp intellect, strong memory, and keen mind, energetic, powerful, trained in all kinds of arts, free from vice, capable of paying in the same coin by way of awarding punishments or rewards, possessed of dignity, capable of taking remedial measures against dangers, possessed of foresight, ready to avail himself of opportunities when afforded in respect of place, time, and manly efforts, clever enough to discern the causes necessitating the cessation of treaty or war with an enemy, or to lie in wait keeping treaties, obligations and pledges, or to avail himself of his enemy's weak points, making jokes with no loss of dignity or secrecy, never brow-beating and casting haughty and stern looks, free from passion, anger, greed, obstinacy, fickleness, haste and back-biting habits, talking to others with a smiling face, and observing customs as taught by aged persons;--such is the nature of self-possession.

6.1.7

amātyasampad uktā purastāt //

The qualifications of a minister have been described in the beginning, middle, and at the close of the work.

6.1.8

madhye cānte ca sthānavān ātmadhāraṇaḥ paradhāraṇaś cāpadi svārakṣaḥ svājīvaḥ śatrudveṣī śakyasāmantaḥ paṅkapāṣāṇoṣaraviṣamakaṇṭakaśreṇīvyālamṛga.aṭavīhīnaḥ kāntaḥ sītākhanidravyahastivanavān gavyaḥ pauruṣeyo guptagocaraḥ paśumān adevamātṛko vāristhalapathābhyām upetaḥ sāracitrabahupaṇyo daṇḍakarasahaḥ
karmaśīlakarṣako 'bāliśasvāmyavaravarṇaprāyo bhaktaśucimanuṣya iti janapadasampat //

Possessed of capital cities both in the centre and the extremities of the kingdom, productive of subsistence not only to its own people, but also to outsiders on occasions of calamities, repulsive to enemies, powerful enough to put down neighbouring kings, free from miry, rocky, uneven, and desert tracts as well as from conspirators, tigers, wild beasts, and large tracts of wilderness, beautiful to look at, containing fertile lands, mines, timber and elephant forests, and pasture grounds, artistic, containing hidden passages, full of cattle, not depending upon rain for water, possessed of land and waterways, rich in various kinds of commercial articles, capable of bearing the burden of a vast army and heavy taxation, inhabited by agriculturists of good and active character, full of intelligent masters and servants, and with a population noted for its loyalty and good character;--these are the qualities of a good country.

6.1.9

durgasampad uktā purastāt //

The excellent qualities of forts have already been described.

6.1.10

dharmādhigataḥ pūrvaiḥ svayaṃ vā hemarūpyaprāyaś citrasthūlaratnahiraṇyo dīrghām apy āpadam anāyatiṃ saheteti kośasampat //

Justly obtained either by inheritance or by self-acquisition, rich in gold and silver, filled with an abundance of big gems of various colours and of gold coins, and capable to withstand calamities of long duration is the best treasury.

6.1.11

pitṛpaitāmaho nityo vaśyas tuṣṭabhṛtaputradāraḥ pravāseṣv avisaṃvāditaḥ sarvatrāpratihato duḥkhasaho bahuyuddhaḥ sarvayuddhapraharaṇavidyāviśāradaḥ sahavṛddhikṣayikatvād advaidhyaḥ kṣatraprāya iti daṇḍasampat //

Coming down directly, from father and grandfather (of the king), ever strong, obedient, happy in keeping their sons and wives well contented, not averse to making a long sojourn, ever and everywhere invincible, endowed with the power of endurance, trained in fighting various kinds of battles, skillful in handling various forms of weapons, ready to share in the weal or woe of the king, and consequently not falling foul with him, and purely composed of soldiers of Kshatriya caste, is the best army.

6.1.12

pitṛpaitāmahaṃ nityaṃ vaśyam advaidhyaṃ mahallaghusamuttham iti mitrasampat //

Coming down directly from father and grandfather, long-standing, open to conviction, never falling foul, and capable of making preparations for war quickly and on a large scale, is the best friend.

6.1.13

arājabījī lubdhaḥ kṣudrapariṣatko viraktaprakṛtir anyāyavṛttir ayukto vyasanī nirutsāho daivapramāṇo yatkiṃcanakāryagatir ananubandhaḥ klībo nityāpakārī cety amitrasampat //

Not born of a royal family, greedy, possessed of a mean assembly of ministers, with disloyal subjects, ever doing unrighteous acts, of loose character, addicted to mean pleasures, devoid of enthusiasm, trusting to fate, indiscreet in action, powerless, helpless, impotent, and ever injurious, is the worst enemy. Such an enemy is easily uprooted.

6.1.14

evaṃbhūto hi śatruḥ sukhaḥ samucchettuṃ bhavati //

6.1.15

arivarjāḥ prakṛtayaḥ saptaitāḥ svaguṇodayāḥ /
uktāḥ pratyaṅgabhūtās tāḥ prakṛtā rājasampadaḥ //

Excepting the enemy, these seven elements, possessed of their excellent characteristics are said to be the limb-like elements of sovereignty.

6.1.16

sampādayaty asampannāḥ prakṛtīr ātmavān nṛpaḥ /
vivṛddhāś cānuraktāś ca prakṛtīr hanty anātmavān //

A wise king can make even the poor and miserable elements of his sovereignty happy and prosperous; but a wicked king will surely destroy the most prosperous and loyal elements of his kingdom.

6.1.17

tataḥ sa duṣṭaprakṛtiś cāturanto 'py anātmavān /
hanyate vā prakṛtibhir yāti vā dviṣatāṃ vaśam //

Hence a king of unrighteous character and of vicious habits will, though he is an emperor, fall a prey either to the fury of his own subjects or to that of his enemies.

6.1.18

ātmavāṃs tv alpadeśo 'pi yuktaḥ prakṛtisampadā /
nayajñaḥ pṛthivīṃ kṛtsnāṃ jayaty eva na hīyate //E

But a wise king, trained in politics, will, though he possesses a small territory, conquer the whole earth with the help of the best-fitted elements of his sovereignty, and will never be defeated.