हैमानं चास्य सस्यं वासन्तिकं च मुष्टिमुपहन्तुं चैत्रीं यात्रां यायात् ॥ कZ_०९.१.३५ ॥
haimānaṃ cāsya sasyaṃ vāsantikaṃ ca muṣṭim upahantuṃ caitrīṃ yātrāṃ yāyāt
He should set out on a Caitra expedition to damage the enemy’s winter crop and his spring crop at the ‘handful’ (early) stage.
Agriculture underwrites revenue and provisioning; striking at vulnerable crop stages weakens both the enemy’s treasury and his ability to feed troops.