Sutra 3
Devanagari script
ताभ्यां बहुगुणविशिष्टे लाभे यायात् ॥ कZ_०९.४.०३ ॥
Transliteration
tābhyāṃ bahu-guṇa-viśiṣṭe lābhe yāyāt.
Translation
One should proceed (incur those losses/expenditures) only toward a gain distinguished by many-fold advantage relative to them.
Word by Word
ताभ्याम्by/through those two (means/alternatives)
ताभ्याम्:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formसर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; तृतीया-द्विवचन; स्त्रीलिङ्ग (तद्-शब्दः)
बहुगुणविशिष्टेin a gain characterized by many merits/advantages
बहुगुणविशिष्टे:
TypeAdjective
Rootविशिष्ट
Formविशेषण; सप्तमी-एकवचन; पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (लाभे इति पदेन सह)
लाभेin (the case of) gain/profit
लाभे:
TypeNoun
Rootलाभ
Formपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-एकवचन
यायात्should proceed/should choose (i.e., should go for it)
यायात्:
TypeVerb
Rootया
Formलोट्/विधिलिङ् (आज्ञार्थ/विध्यर्थ); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन; धातुः—या (गत्यर्थ)
Entities Mentioned
L
loss (kṣaya)E
expenditure (vyaya)G
gain (lābha)FAQs
Do not spend men or material unless the expected gain is decisively larger—i.e., a clear surplus after accounting for attrition and resource depletion.