Sutra 18

Devanagari script

एकायनमार्गप्रयातस्य सेनानिश्चारग्रासाहारशय्याप्रस्ताराग्निनिधानध्वजायुधसंख्यानेन परबलज्ञानम् ॥ कZ_१०.२.१८ ॥

Transliteration

ekāyanamārgaprayātasya senāniścāragrāsāhāraśayyāprastārāgninidhānadhvajāyudhasaṃkhyānena parabalajñānam

Translation

When an army is moving on a single route, one can estimate the enemy’s strength by counting its outward signs—its troop movements, rations and food arrangements, bedding and camp-laying, fire-places, flags, weapons, and numbers.

Word by Word

• एकायनमार्ग: a single route/line of march
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासपद)

• प्रयातस्य: of one who has set out / of a marching (force)
• Type: Verb (Participle)
• Root: या (प्र-या)
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन; ‘प्रयात’ = departed/marching

• सेनानिश्चार: the army’s movement/march-out (disposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चार
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासपद)

• ग्रास: fodder (feed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रास
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• आहार: food supplies / rations
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहार
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• शय्या: bedding / sleeping arrangement
• Type: Noun
• Root: शय्या
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• प्रस्तार: bed-spread / bedding materials
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्तार
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• अग्निनिधान: placement/keeping of fire (camp/cooking fire)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधान
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासपद)

• ध्वज: banner/standard
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• आयुध: weapons
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुध
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• संख्यानेन: by counting / by numerical assessment
• Type: Noun (Instrumental)
• Root: संख्या (सम्-ख्या) / संख्यान
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन; ‘संख्यान’ = गणना/आकलन (by counting/assessment)

• परबलज्ञानम्: knowledge/assessment of the enemy’s strength
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (ज्ञा)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; वाक्ये कर्म/फलरूपं (the knowledge/ascertainment)

Entities Mentioned

• enemy force (parabala)
• route (ekāyana-mārga)
• rations
• camp fires
• flags
• weapons

More Details

FAQs

What kind of intelligence method is described here?

Indirect estimation (signature/footprint analysis): infer force size from logistics and camp indicators rather than direct headcounts.