Configure the army by vibhava, not vanity: vary the limbs of force so every campaign posture is logistically and fiscally sustainable. War is administered danda; reliability comes from organization, not valor. Vibhava (men, animals, supplies, money) is the decisive constraint on force size and mix. Aṅga-vikalpa: recompose the army’s limbs (elephants/cavalry/infantry/chariots/engineers/auxiliaries) to fit terrain and season. Kośa and durga govern operational endurance; force-design must protect both from strain. The doctrine aims to prevent strategic overreach by making conquest a scalable, managed function of capacity.
Sutra 1
मौलभृतकश्रेणीमित्रामित्राटवीबलानां समुद्दानकालाः ॥ कZ_०९.२.०१ ॥
The occasions (proper timings/conditions) for employing the hereditary (standing) troops, hired troops, guild forces, allied forces, enemy forces, and forest forces are as follows.
Sutra 2
मूलरक्षणादतिरिक्तं मौलबलमत्यावापयुक्ता वा मौला मूले विकुर्वीरन्बहुलानुरक्तमौलबलः सारबलो वा प्रतियोद्धा व्यायामेन योद्धव्यम् प्रकृष्टेऽध्वनि काले वा क्षयव्ययसहत्वान्मौलानाम् बहुलानुरक्तसम्पाते च यातव्यस्योपजापभयादन्यसैन्यानां भृतादीनामविश्वासे बलक्षये वा सर्वसैन्यानां इति मौलबलकालः ॥ कZ_०९.२.०२ ॥
Standing troops beyond what is required for guarding the capital/core should be used; or, when urgently needed, the standing troops should be mobilized even from the core. A commander who has many devoted standing troops, or an elite core force, should fight by exertion (direct fighting), and on arduous routes or at critical times—because standing troops can endure wear and expense. Also, when undertaking a march with a large body of loyalists; and when there is danger of inducement/defection, distrust of other forces such as hired troops, or when the overall army’s strength is declining—this is the proper occasion for employing standing troops.
Sutra 3
प्रभूतं मे भृतबलमल्पं च मौलबलम्ण् परस्याल्पं विरक्तं वा मौलबलम् फल्गुप्रायमसारं वा भृतसैन्यम्ण् मन्त्रेण योद्धव्यमल्पव्यायामेनण् ह्रस्वो देशः कालो वा तनुक्षयव्ययह्ण् अल्पावापं शान्तोपजापं विश्वस्तं वा मे सैन्यम्ण् परस्याल्पः प्रसारो हन्तव्यह्ण् भृतबलकालः ॥ कZ_०९.२.०३ ॥
When I have abundant hired troops and only a small standing force; when the enemy’s standing troops are few or disaffected; when the enemy’s hired troops are mostly weak and lacking substance; when the fight should be won by counsel/stratagem with little physical exertion; when the theatre or time is short so that losses and expenses are slight; when my troops are little susceptible to inducement, calm against subversion, and trustworthy; and when the enemy’s extension is small and can be struck—these are the occasions for employing hired troops.
Sutra 4
प्रभूतं मे श्रेणीबलं शक्यं मूले यात्रायां चाधातुम्ण् ह्रस्वः प्रवासः श्रेणीबलप्रायः प्रतियोद्धा मन्त्रव्यायामाभ्यां प्रतियोद्धुकामः दण्डबलव्यवहारः इति श्रेणीबलकालः ॥ कZ_०९.२.०४ ॥
When I have abundant guild forces and can station them both at the base and on campaign; when the absence from home will be short; when the opponent relies chiefly on guild forces; when I wish to counter by both stratagem and exertion; and when coercive force and punishment-policy can be applied—these are the occasions for employing guild forces.
Sutra 5
प्रभूतं मे मित्रबलं शक्यं मूले यात्रायां चाधातुम्ण् अल्पः प्रवासो मन्त्रयुद्धाच्च भूयो व्यायामयुद्धम्ण् मित्रबलेन वा पूर्वमटवीं नगरस्थानमासारं वा योधयित्वा पश्चात्स्वबलेन योद्धयिष्यामिण् मित्रसाधारणं वा मे कार्यम्ण् मित्रायत्ता वा मे कार्यसिद्धिह्ण् आसन्नमनुग्राह्यं वा मे मित्रम्ण् अत्यावापं वास्य इति मित्रबलकालः ॥ कZ_०९.२.०५ ॥
When I have abundant allied forces and can station them both at the base and on campaign; when the period of absence is short; when the contest will involve more physical fighting than stratagem; when I plan to have the ally’s troops first fight in forests, at fortified towns, or in assaults, and then fight with my own troops afterward; when my objective is common with the ally, or when success depends on the ally; when the ally is nearby and should be supported; and when I will urgently press him into service—these are the occasions for employing allied forces.
Sutra 6
प्रभूतं मे शत्रुबलं शत्रुबलेन योधयिष्यामि नगरस्थानमटवीं वा तत्र मे श्ववराहयोः कलहे चण्डालस्येवान्यतरसिद्धिर्भविष्यतिण् आसाराणामटवीनां वा कण्टकमर्दनमेतत्करिष्यामिण् अत्युपचितं वा कोपभयान्नित्यमासन्नमरिबलं वासयेदन्यत्राभ्यन्तरकोपशङ्कायाः शत्रुयुद्धावरयुद्धकालश्च इत्यमित्रबलकालः ॥ कZ_०९.२.०६ ॥
When I have abundant enemy forces available to be turned and used, I shall fight by means of the enemy’s own forces—whether in a fortified town or in forest terrain; there, as in a fight between a dog and a boar, a low agent (like a caṇḍāla) gains success whichever side wins. Thus I will accomplish the crushing of “thorns”—assaults and forest obstacles. Also, if the hostile force has grown excessively, then out of fear of provoking its anger I should quarter that enemy force elsewhere, since keeping it constantly near risks internal revolt. This is the occasion for enemy-war and proxy-war—i.e., the use of enemy forces.
Sutra 7
तेनाटवीबलकालो व्याख्यातः ॥ कZ_०९.२.०७ ॥
By that discussion, the occasion for employing forest forces has been explained.
Sutra 8
मार्गादेशिकम् परभूमियोग्यमरियुद्धप्रतिलोममटवीबलप्रायः शत्रुर्वा बिल्वं बिल्वेन हन्यताम्ण् अल्पः प्रसारो हन्तव्यः इत्यटवीबलकालः ॥ कZ_०९.२.०८ ॥
When the enemy is chiefly a forest/tribal force—one that knows routes, is fit for operating in another’s territory, and fights by irregular methods—he should be countered with his own kind (“a bilva is struck with a bilva”): engage him with limited, controlled operations and eliminate him with restricted maneuver. This is the situation for employing forest forces.
Sutra 9
सैन्यमनेकमनेकस्थमुक्तमनुक्तं वा विलोपार्थं यदुत्तिष्ठति तदौत्साहिकं अभक्तवेतनं विलोपविष्टिप्रतापकरं भेद्यं परेषामभेद्यं तुल्यदेशजातिशिल्पप्रायं संहतं महत् । इति बलोपादानकालाह् ॥ कZ_०९.२.०९ ॥
A force that rises up in many places, composed of many elements—whether summoned or unsummoned—primarily for plunder, is an “impulse/venture” force (autsāhika). It is unpaid or irregularly paid, lives by seizure and forced labor, is formidable, can be split/turned (bhedya) though difficult for others to split, and is largely united by common locality, community, and occupation; it is cohesive and large. These are the conditions relevant to raising forces.
Sutra 10
तेषां कुप्यभृतममित्राटवीबलं विलोपभृतं वा कुर्यात् ॥ कZ_०९.२.१० ॥
Of such forces, the enemy’s forest troops should be maintained either by supplies/valuables (kupyā) or by allowing them to subsist on plunder.
Sutra 11
अमित्रस्य वा बलकाले प्रत्युत्पन्ने शत्रुबलमवगृह्णीयात् अन्यत्र वा प्रेषयेत् अफलं वा कुर्यात् विक्षिप्तं वा वासयेत्काले वातिक्रान्ते विसृजेत् ॥ कZ_०९.२.११ ॥
When the enemy’s time for raising forces arrives, one should seize/detain the enemy’s troops, or send them elsewhere, or render them ineffective, or keep them quartered in a dispersed condition; and when the critical time has passed, release them.
Sutra 12
परस्य चैतद्बलसमुद्दानं विघातयेत् आत्मनः सम्पादयेत् ॥ कZ_०९.२.१२ ॥
One should obstruct the opponent’s mustering/aggregation of forces and accomplish one’s own.
Sutra 13
पूर्वं पूर्वं चैषां श्रेयः सम्नाहयितुम् ॥ कZ_०९.२.१३ ॥
It is better to prepare these forces in the earlier-to-earlier order (i.e., prioritize the earlier-mentioned categories first).
Sutra 14
तद्भावभावित्वान्नित्यसत्कारानुगमाच्च मौलबलं भृतबलाच्छ्रेयः ॥ कZ_०९.२.१४ ॥
Because it is rooted in enduring loyalty/identity and because it follows from continual recognition and support, the king’s own core force (maula) is preferable to hired troops (bhṛta).
Sutra 15
नित्यानन्तरं क्षिप्रोत्थायि वश्यं व भृतबलं श्रेणीबलाच्छ्रेयः ॥ कZ_०९.२.१५ ॥
Hired troops are preferable to guild forces, because they can be kept in continuous readiness, can be raised quickly, and are more controllable.
Sutra 16
जानपदमेकार्थोपगतं तुल्यसंघर्षामर्षसिद्धिलाभं च श्रेणीबलं मित्रबलाच्छ्रेयः ॥ कZ_०९.२.१६ ॥
Guild forces are preferable to allied forces, because they are local (jānapada), committed to a single objective, and share the same frictions, resentments, achievements, and gains (thus acting with unified incentives).
Sutra 17
अपरिमितदेशकालमेकार्थोपगमाच्च मित्रबलममित्रबलाच्छ्रेयः ॥ कZ_०९.२.१७ ॥
Allied forces are preferable to hostile/enemy forces, because they can cooperate across unlimited places and times and can be aligned to a single objective.
Sutra 29
कवचिनो रथा आवरणिनः पत्तयश्च चतुरङ्गबलस्य प्रतिबलम् ॥ कZ_०९.२.२९ ॥
Armoured troops, chariots, screening/cover units, and infantry constitute the counter-force (pratibala) of the four-limbed army.
Sutra 30
विभवेन स्वसैन्यानां कुर्यादङ्गविकल्पशः ॥ कZ_०९.२.३०च्द् ॥
According to one’s resources and capacity, one should arrange one’s own troops by varying the components (arms) as required.
A sustainable war-footing: the state avoids exhausting treasury and supplies, maintains troop readiness, reduces collapse-risk during campaigns, and preserves internal security by not stripping the countryside of protection.
Implied rather than codified here: commanders/officials who misreport capacity or cause preventable loss through overextension would be liable to royal punishment—dismissal, fines, confiscation, or harsher danda depending on the scale of ruin to kośa and bala.