Sutra 53

Devanagari script

समायां दण्डमण्डलव्यूहाः विषमायां भोगासंहतव्यूहाः व्यामिश्रायां विषमव्यूहाः ॥ कZ_१०.३.५३ ॥

Transliteration

samāyāṃ daṇḍamaṇḍalavyūhāḥ viṣamāyāṃ bhogāsaṃhatavyūhāḥ vyāmiśrāyāṃ viṣamavyūhāḥ

Translation

On level ground: staff (daṇḍa) and circular (maṇḍala) formations. On uneven ground: curved/serpentine (bhoga) and compact (asaṃhata) formations. On mixed ground: uneven/irregular formations.

Word by Word

• समायाम्: in an even (level) situation/ground
• Type: Noun
• Root: समा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सप्तमी (अधिकरण)

• दण्ड-मण्डल-व्यूहाः: the staff-and-circle formations (battle arrays)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यूह
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; प्रथमा; समासः = दण्डस्य मण्डलं (दण्डमण्डलम्) तस्य व्यूहाः

• विषमायाम्: in an uneven situation/ground
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषमा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सप्तमी (अधिकरण)

• भोग-असंहत-व्यूहाः: the loose (uncompacted) formations with extended wings/arms
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यूह
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; प्रथमा; समासः = भोगाः + असंहतः (असंहतभोगः) तस्य व्यूहाः

• व्यामिश्रायाम्: in a mixed situation/ground
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यामिश्रा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सप्तमी (अधिकरण)

• विषम-व्यूहाः: irregular (uneven) formations
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यूह
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; प्रथमा; समासः = विषमाः व्यूहाः

Entities Mentioned

• daṇḍa-vyūha
• maṇḍala-vyūha
• bhoga-vyūha
• asaṃhata-vyūha
• viṣama-vyūha

More Details

FAQs

What is the governance value of prescribing formations by terrain?

It converts battlefield choice into repeatable doctrine—reducing commander variance, speeding decisions, and improving coordination across units.