Abhiyasyatkarma Adhyaya 1 Sutra 34 - Arthashastra | English | Vedapath

Kautilya

Sutra 34

Devanagari script

तैरभ्युच्चितस्तृतीयं चतुर्थं वा दण्डस्यांशं मूले पार्ष्ण्यां प्रत्यन्ताटवीषु च रक्षा विधाय कार्यसाधनसहं कोशदण्डं चादाय क्षीणपुराणभक्तमगृहीतनवभक्तमसंस्कृतदुर्गममित्रं वार्षिकं चास्य सस्यं हैमनं च मुष्टिमुपहन्तुं मार्गशीर्षीं यात्रां यायात् ॥ कZ_०९.१.३४ ॥

Transliteration

tair abhyuccitas tṛtīyaṃ caturthaṃ vā daṇḍasyāṃśaṃ mūle pārṣṇyāṃ pratyantāṭavīṣu ca rakṣā vidhāya kāryasādhanasahaṃ kośadaṇḍaṃ ca ādāya kṣīṇapurāṇabhaktam agṛhītanavabhaktam asaṃskṛtadurgam amitraṃ vārṣikaṃ cāsya sasyaṃ haimanaṃ ca muṣṭim upahantuṃ mārgaśīrṣīṃ yātrāṃ yāyāt

Translation

Having made these assessments, he should keep back one-third or one-fourth of the army for the protection of the base, the rear, the frontiers, and the forest-marches; and, taking treasury and force sufficient for accomplishing the objective, he should set out on a Mārgaśīrṣa expedition to strike an enemy whose old provisions are depleted, whose new provisions are not yet secured, whose forts are not yet prepared, and to damage his monsoon and winter crops at the ‘handful’ (early/limited) stage.

Word by Word

तैःby/with those

अभ्युच्चितःhaving been increased/augmented

तृतीयम्a third (share)

चतुर्थम्a fourth (share)

वाor

दण्डस्यof the daṇḍa (force/punitive power; army)

अंशम्a share/portion

मूलेat the base

पार्ष्ण्याम्at the rear/heel (rear position)

प्रत्यन्ताटवीषुin the frontier forests

चand

रक्षाprotection/guarding

विधायhaving arranged/provided

कार्यसाधनसहम्sufficient/capable for accomplishing the operation

कोशदण्डम्the treasury and the armed force (resources and coercive power)

चand

आदायhaving taken (along)

क्षीणपुराणभक्तम्(an enemy) whose old rations/provisions are depleted

अगृहीतनवभक्तम्(an enemy) who has not obtained fresh rations

असंस्कृतदुर्गम्(an enemy) whose fortifications are not prepared/strengthened

अमित्रम्the enemy

वार्षिकम्the rainy-season (crop)

चand

अस्यof him/of it (the enemy’s)

सस्यम्crop/standing grain

हैमनम्the winter (crop)

चand

मुष्टिम्by handfuls / in small lots

उपहन्तुम्to strike/harass/damage

मार्गशीर्षीम्a campaign-march in (the month of) Mārgaśīrṣa

यात्राम्an expedition/campaign

यायात्should go / should undertake (the march)

Entities Mentioned

daṇḍa (army/force)

kośa (treasury)

mūla (base)

pārṣṇi (rear)

pratyanta (frontier)

āṭavī (forest-marches)

amitra (enemy)

mārgaśīrṣa (month/seasonal window)

FAQs

Why does Kauṭilya insist on holding back one-third or one-fourth of the force?

To prevent strategic surprise at the base, rear, and borders while the main force is away—war is treated as a whole-of-state security problem, not only a battlefield problem.

What is the political intent behind attacking when the enemy’s old rations are exhausted and new rations not secured?

It maximizes pressure on the enemy’s administrative supply system, increasing desertion, unrest, and bargaining leverage while minimizing your own operational risk.