Sutra 12
Devanagari script
मन्त्रकर्म चास्य निश्चितमप्रभावो गर्भधान्यमवृष्टिरिवोपहन्ति इत्याचार्याः ॥ कZ_०९.१.१२ ॥
Transliteration
mantrakarma cāsya niścitam aprabhāvo garbhadhānyam avṛṣṭir ivopahanti ity ācāryāḥ
Translation
The teachers say: even when his policy-work is settled and decided, lack of effective power ruins it—like drought destroys crops already in the ear.
Word by Word
मन्त्रकर्मthe work of counsel / secret state deliberation
मन्त्रकर्म:
TypeNoun
Rootमन्त्र + कर्मन्
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (वाक्ये कर्तृपदम्)
चand
च:
TypeParticle
Rootच
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्
अस्यof him / of this (king)
अस्य:
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
Formषष्ठी, एकवचन, पुं/नपुंसक (सम्बन्धे)
निश्चितम्decided, settled, determined
निश्चितम्:
TypeParticiple
Rootनि + √चि (चिनोति)
Formकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; ‘मन्त्रकर्म’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
अप्रभावःlack of efficacy / ineffectiveness
अप्रभावः:
TypeNoun
Rootअ + प्रभाव
Formपुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (कर्तृपदम्)
गर्भधान्यम्grain in the ear (unripened/contained grain); stored/latent grain (metaphor)
गर्भधान्यम्:
TypeNoun
Rootगर्भ + धान्य
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (कर्मपदम्)
अवृष्टिःlack of rain, drought
अवृष्टिः:
TypeNoun
Rootअ + वृष्टि
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (उपमान-कर्तृपदम्)
इवlike, as if
इव:
TypeParticle
Rootइव
Formउपमावाचक-अव्ययम्
उपहन्तिthey harm, they destroy, they undermine
उपहन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootउप + √हन् (हन्ति)
Formलट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन
इतिthus (quoting)
इति:
TypeParticle
Rootइति
Formइत्यादि-उद्धरणार्थक-अव्ययम्
आचार्याःthe teachers (authorities)
आचार्याः:
TypeNoun
Rootआचार्य
Formपुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, प्रथमा (वक्तृ/मत-प्रवर्तकाः)
Entities Mentioned
Ā
ācāryāḥ (authorities)K
king/state (implicit)FAQs
It emphasizes timing and vulnerability: even mature plans can collapse late in the process if enforcement/resources/credibility fail at the decisive moment.
The ‘implementation gap’ and ‘state capacity’ problem—policies can be well-designed yet fail without administrative reach, fiscal means, and enforcement.