Sutra 8
Devanagari script
युध्यमानश्चाल्पसैन्यः समुद्रमिवाप्लवोऽवगाहमानः सीदति ॥ कZ_१२.१.०८ ॥
Transliteration
yudhyamānaścālpasainyaḥ samudramivāplavo'vagāhamānaḥ sīdati
Translation
Kämpft er mit einem kleinen Heer, geht er unter—wie ein Mensch ohne Floß, der den Ozean zu überqueren versucht.
Word by Word
युध्यमानःfighting; while fighting
युध्यमानः:
TypeVerb (participial)
Rootयुध्
Formवर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः (present active participle, Parasmaipada); प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; पुल्लिङ्गः
चand
च:
TypeParticle
Rootच
Formसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययम्
अल्पसैन्यःone with a small force; having few troops
अल्पसैन्यः:
TypeNoun (with adjective prefix)
Rootसैन्य
Formप्रथमा-एकवचनम्; पुल्लिङ्गः; अल्पं सैन्यं यस्य सः (having a small army)
समुद्रम्the ocean
समुद्रम्:
TypeNoun
Rootसमुद्र
Formद्वितीया-एकवचनम्; पुल्लिङ्गः
इवlike; as if
इव:
TypeParticle
Rootइव
Formउपमार्थक अव्ययम्
अप्लवःone without a boat/raft (i.e., without means of crossing)
अप्लवः:
TypeNoun
Rootअप्लव
Formप्रथमा-एकवचनम्; पुल्लिङ्गः; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (प्लवः = नौका/तरिणी; अ-प्लवः = without a boat/raft)
अवगाहमानःentering; wading into; attempting to plunge into
अवगाहमानः:
TypeVerb (participial)
Rootअव-गाह्
Formवर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः (present middle participle, Ātmanepada); प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; पुल्लिङ्गः
सीदतिsinks; perishes; is ruined
सीदति:
TypeVerb
Rootसद्
Formलट्-लकारः; प्रथमपुरुषः; एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्
FAQs
Do not initiate or prolong open conflict without sufficient manpower/resources; compensate via alliances, fortification, deception, or delay rather than direct battle.
It is capability-based realism: the text discourages wasteful attrition when the probability of survival and success is structurally low.