Sutra 14

Devanagari script

अग्निपतङ्गवदमित्रे वा प्रविशेत् ॥ कZ_०७.१५.१४ ॥

Transliteration

agnipataṅgavad amitre vā praviśet

Translation

Man soll in das (Gebiet) des Feindes nur eintreten wie eine Motte ins Feuer — das heißt in voller Kenntnis der Gefahr und der Wahrscheinlichkeit der Vernichtung (wenn man es ohne Sicherungen tut).

Word by Word

• अग्निपतङ्गवत्: like a fire-moth (rushing into danger)
• Type: Indeclinable (Adverbial)
• Root: अग्नि + पतङ्ग
• Form: -वत् (vat) taddhita forming an indeclinable adverbial comparison: ‘like/as’; base: अग्निपतङ्ग ‘fire-moth’ (m.)

• अमित्रे: in/against the enemy
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमित्र
• Form: Locative singular, masculine/neuter (contextually ‘in/against the enemy’); stem: अमित्र- ‘enemy’

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: Disjunctive particle ‘or/alternatively’

• प्रविशेत्: should enter; should infiltrate
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + विश्
• Form: Optative (vidhi-liṅ), parasmaipada, 3rd person singular; ‘should enter/penetrate’

Entities Mentioned

• enemy

More Details

FAQs

What is the policy warning conveyed by the ‘moth and fire’ metaphor?

Entering the enemy’s sphere without adequate preparation, support, and exit routes is self-destructive; do it only with calculated safeguards or not at all.