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 ॥
prabhūtaṃ me bhṛtabalam alpaṃ ca maulabalam; parasyālpaṃ viraktaṃ vā maulabalam; phalguprāyam asāraṃ vā bhṛtasainyam; mantreṇa yoddhavyam alpavyāyāmena; hrasvo deśaḥ kālo vā tanukṣayavyayaḥ; alpāvāpaṃ śāntopajāpaṃ viśvastaṃ vā me sainyam; parasyālpaḥ prasāro hantavyaḥ—iti bhṛtabalakālaḥ
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.
FAQs
Use them when the operation is short, the plan relies on stratagem more than endurance, and the hired force is assessed as trustworthy and not easily bribed or subverted.