Verse 9.296

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

सप्ताङ्गस्यैह राज्यस्य विष्टब्धस्य त्रिदण्डवत् ।
अन्योन्यगुणवैशेष्यात्न किं चिदतिरिच्यते ॥ २९६ ॥

saptāṅgasyaiha rājyasya viṣṭabdhasya tridaṇḍavat |
anyonyaguṇavaiśeṣyātna kiṃ cidatiricyate || 296 ||

Yet in the kingdom consisting of the ‘seven limbs’ interlaced like the ‘triple staff,’—since their qualities are mutually helpful,—no one of them is superior.—(296)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

An example is cited—‘interlaced like the Triple Staff—i.e., each is dependent upon the other. This same idea is further emphasised—‘since their qualities are mutually helpful;’—inasmuch as they are helpful to one another, there can be no distinction among them; just as there is none among the soil, the seed and the water, in the process of cultivation.

From this it follows that special attention is to be paid to every one of the seven limbs.

There certainly is some difference in their relative importance; what then is meant by the assertion that ‘no one of them is superior’ is that due care should always be taken in the guarding of the Ally and other ‘limbs’ also (which, in the preceding verse, have been declared to be of minor importance). Because the destruction of the Ally also would eventually lead to the destruction of the King’s own kingdom, specially when the attack upon the former comes from a powerful quarter; even though the danger may be not so imminent.—(296)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Rājanīti, p. 320).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 9.294-297)

See Comparative notes for Verse 9.294.