Arthashastra - Power and Success

Devanagari

शक्तिः सिद्धिश्च ॥
बलं शक्तिः ॥
सुखं सिद्धिः ॥
शक्तिस्त्रिविधा ज्ञानबलं मन्त्रशक्तिः कोशदण्डबलं प्रभुशक्तिः विक्रमबलमुत्साहशक्तिः ॥
एवं सिद्धिस्त्रिविधैव मन्त्रशक्तिसाध्या मन्त्रसिद्धिः प्रभुशक्तिसाध्या प्रभुसिद्धिः उत्साहशक्तिसाध्या उत्साहसिद्धिः ॥
ताभिरभ्युच्चितो ज्यायान्भवति अपचितो हीनः तुल्यशक्तिः समः ॥
तस्माच्छक्तिं सिद्धिं च घटेतात्मन्यावेशयितुं साधारणो वा द्रव्यप्रकृतिष्वांतर्येण शौचवशेन वा ॥

Transliteration

śaktiḥ siddhiśca ||
balaṃ śaktiḥ ||
sukhaṃ siddhiḥ ||
śaktistrividhā jñānabalaṃ mantraśaktiḥ kośadaṇḍabalaṃ prabhuśaktiḥ vikramalam-utsāhaśaktiḥ ||
evaṃ siddhistrividhaiva mantraśaktisādhyā mantrasiddhiḥ prabhuśaktisādhyā prabhusiddhiḥ utsāhaśaktisādhyā utsāhasiddhiḥ ||
tābhir-abhyuccito jyāyān-bhavati apacito hīnaḥ tulya-śaktiḥ samaḥ ||
tasmāc-chaktiṃ siddhiṃ ca ghaṭetātmanyāveśayituṃ sādhāraṇo vā dravyaprakṛtiṣvānantaryeṇa śaucavaśena vā ||

Translation

Goals (6.2.30): Power (Shakti) and Success (Siddhi) are the goals.

Definitions (6.2.31 - 32): Strength is Power. Happiness is Success.

The Trinity of Power (6.2.33): Power is threefold:

1. Mantra-shakti: Intellectual Power (knowledge and counsel).
2. Prabhu-shakti: Material Power/Authority (treasury and army).
3. Utsaha-shakti: Willpower/Drive (bravery and personal energy).

The Trinity of Success (6.2.34): Similarly, success is also threefold: Mantra-siddhi (strategy), Prabhu-siddhi (resources), and Utsaha-siddhi (action).

Competition (6.2.35): He who is superior in these (powers) is the better; he who is deficient is inferior; he with equal power is equal.

Cultivation (6.2.36): Therefore, one should strive to infuse power and success into oneself, either through common means, through the material elements (limbs of state), or through personal purity (of purpose and character).

Personal Analysis

This is Kautilya’s most profound insight. He defines “Success” not as land or gold, but as Sukham (Well-being/Happiness). Strength (Power) is merely the tool to secure that happiness.

---

Index: index