Sutra 14

Devanagari script

परानीकव्यूहदुर्गस्कन्धावारप्रमर्दना ह्यतिप्रमाणशरीराः प्राणहरकर्माणो हस्तिनः ॥ कZ_०२.२.१४ ॥

Transliteration

parānīkavyūhadurgaskandhāvārapramardanā hyatipramāṇaśarīrāḥ prāṇaharakarmāṇo hastinaḥ

Translation

Elephants, with their massive bodies and lethal force, can crush enemy battle-formations, forts, and military camps.

Word by Word

• परानीकव्यूहदुर्गस्कन्धावारप्रमर्दनाः: (Elephants) that crush enemy armies, battle formations, forts, and military camps
• Type: Adjective (Kṛdanta)
• Root: मृद् (मर्दने)
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; क्तृ-प्रत्ययान्त (प्रमर्दन) ‘one who crushes’; समासः: पर-आनीक-व्यूह-दुर्ग-स्कन्धावार-प्रमर्दन (of crushing enemy-armies, battle-formations, forts, and camps)

• हि: indeed / for
• Type: Particle
• Root: हि (निपात)
• Form: निपातः; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ-प्रयोगः

• अतिप्रमाणशरीराः: having very large bodies
• Type: Adjective (Compound)
• Root: शरीर
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; समासः: अति-प्रमाण-शरीर (having a body of excessive/very great size)

• प्राणहरकर्माणः: whose actions are life-taking (lethal)
• Type: Adjective (Compound)
• Root: हृ (हरणे)
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; समासः: प्राण-हर-कर्मन् (whose actions take away life)

• हस्तिनः: elephants
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्तिन्
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; ‘elephant’

Entities Mentioned

• enemy formations
• forts
• camps
• war elephants

More Details

FAQs

What is the implied operational role of elephants here?

They function as a shock-and-breach capability: breaking formations, pressuring fortifications, and disrupting camp security.