Sutra 10

Devanagari script

स्वभूमिं युद्धकालं प्रत्यनीकमभिन्नभेदनं भिन्नसंधानं संहतभेदनं भिन्नवधं दुर्गवधं यात्राकालं च पश्येत् ॥ कZ_०२.३३.१० ॥

Transliteration

svabhūmiṃ yuddhakālaṃ pratyanīkam abhinnabhedanaṃ bhinnasaṃdhānaṃ saṃhatabhedanaṃ bhinnavadhaṃ durgavadhaṃ yātrākālaṃ ca paśyet

Translation

He should consider: his own territory, the timing of battle, the enemy’s disposition, how to split an undivided opponent, how to reconcile (or recombine) a divided force, how to break a consolidated enemy, how to destroy a dispersed enemy, how to reduce forts, and the proper time for marching/campaigning.

Word by Word

• स्वभूमिम्: one’s own territory/land
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; (स्व + भूमि) कर्मपद

• युद्धकालम्: the time for war
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; (युद्ध + काल) कर्मपद

• प्रति: towards; against
• Type: Particle
• Root: प्रति
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय; ‘towards/against’ अर्थे

• अनीकम्: army formation; battle-front
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनीक
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘सेना-व्यूह/सेनाग्र’

• अभिन्नभेदनम्: breaking an unbroken/undivided formation
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेदन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; (अभिन्न + भेदन)

• भिन्नसन्धानम्: rejoining/re-forming a broken formation
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्धान
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; (भिन्न + सन्धान)

• संहतभेदनम्: breaking a compact/massed formation
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेदन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; (संहत + भेदन)

• भिन्नवधम्: killing/destruction of those who are separated/dispersed
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; (भिन्न + वध)

• दुर्गवधम्: destruction/capture of a fort
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; (दुर्ग + वध)

• यात्राकालम्: the time for marching/setting out (campaign time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; (यात्रा + काल) कर्मपद

• च: and
• Type: Conjunction
• Root: च
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• पश्येत्: should observe/consider
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (optative) परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन; ‘he should observe/consider’

Entities Mentioned

• enemy force (pratyanīka)
• forts (durga)

More Details

FAQs

What is the core niti logic of the sequence 'split—recombine—break—destroy'?

Treat enemy cohesion as a variable: first induce division in a unified opponent, prevent effective reunification, break concentrated strength when advantageous, and eliminate dispersed remnants—while synchronizing with terrain and time.