Abhiyasyatkarma Adhyaya 2 Sutra 8 - Arthashastra | Bengali | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 8

Devanagari script

मार्गादेशिकम् परभूमियोग्यमरियुद्धप्रतिलोममटवीबलप्रायः शत्रुर्वा बिल्वं बिल्वेन हन्यताम्ण् अल्पः प्रसारो हन्तव्यः इत्यटवीबलकालः ॥ कZ_०९.२.०८ ॥

Transliteration

mārgādeśikam parabhūmiyogyam ariyuddha-pratilomam aṭavī-bala-prāyaḥ śatrur vā bilvaṃ bilvena hanyatām; alpaḥ prasāro hantavyaḥ ity aṭavī-bala-kālaḥ |

Translation

যখন শত্রু প্রধানত অটবী/বনাঞ্চলীয় বাহিনী হয়—যে পথঘাট জানে, পরের ভূখণ্ডে কাজ করার উপযুক্ত এবং অনিয়মিত/গেরিলা পদ্ধতিতে যুদ্ধ করে—তখন তাকে তারই মতো বাহিনী দিয়ে প্রতিহত করতে হবে (“বিল্বকে বিল্ব দিয়েই আঘাত করা হয়”): সীমিত, নিয়ন্ত্রিত অভিযান/বিস্তার রেখে তাকে ধ্বংস করতে হবে। এটাই অটবী-বাহিনী ব্যবহারের সময়।

Word by Word

मार्गादेशिकम्a route-guide / one who indicates the way

परभूमियोग्यम्fit/suitable for (operating in) another’s territory

अरियुद्धप्रतिलोमम्contrary/opposed to the enemy’s fighting (method)

अटवीबलप्रायःmostly consisting of forest troops

शत्रुःthe enemy

वाor

बिल्वम्a bilva (wood/fruit/tree)

बिल्वेनwith a bilva (by means of a bilva)

हन्यताम्let it be struck / should be struck

अल्पःsmall / limited

प्रसारःspread / extension / deployment

हन्तव्यःto be killed / to be destroyed

इतिthus

अटवीबलकालःthe occasion/time for (using) forest troops

Entities Mentioned

āṭavī-bala (forest/tribal troops)

śatru (enemy)

FAQs

What operational principle is implied by “bilvaṃ bilvena hanyatām” here?

Match the adversary’s force-type and tactics: use similarly adapted troops and methods rather than conventional formations that the terrain and enemy style will negate.

Why is “alpaḥ prasāraḥ” (limited extension) emphasized?

Against mobile raiders in difficult terrain, overextension invites ambush and supply failure; Kautilya recommends tight control of movement and objectives.