Sutra 56

Devanagari script

हीनमनुहन्यात् न त्वेव स्वभूमिप्राप्तं त्यक्तात्मानं वा ॥ कZ_१०.३.५६ ॥

Transliteration

hīnamanuhanyāt na tveva svabhūmiprāptaṃ tyaktātmānaṃ vā

Translation

He may pursue and strike a weaker foe; but he should not harass one who has reached his own territory, nor one who has become desperate and reckless (lit. ‘abandoned himself’).

Word by Word

• हीनम्: one who is inferior / weaker (as the object to be dealt with)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन
• Form: विशेषणम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गे एकवचनम् द्वितीया (कर्मपद-विशेषणम्)

• अनुहन्यात्: he should strike/attack (him)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-हन्
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative) परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम्; लोट्/विध्यर्थः—‘should strike/kill/attack’

• न: not
• Type: Particle
• Root: न
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्

• तु: but
• Type: Particle
• Root: तु
• Form: अव्ययम्; विरोध/विशेषार्थकः

• एव: indeed / only
• Type: Particle
• Root: एव
• Form: अव्ययम्; अवधारणार्थकः

• स्वभूमि-प्राप्तम्: one who has reached his own land/territory
• Type: Participle (verbal adjective)
• Root: प्राप्त (√प्राप्)
• Form: समासः: स्वभूमेः प्राप्तम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गे एकवचनम् द्वितीया (कर्मपदम्)

• त्यक्त-आत्मानम्: a man who has abandoned himself / a desperate (reckless) person
• Type: Noun phrase (compound)
• Root: त्यक्त (√त्यज्) + आत्मन्
• Form: समासः: त्यक्तः आत्मा यस्य सः (but used here as accusative singular of the bahuvrīhi as an epithet); पुंलिङ्गे एकवचनम् द्वितीया (कर्मपदम्)

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्ययम्

Entities Mentioned

• king/ruler
• weaker enemy
• retreating enemy

More Details

FAQs

Why avoid pressing an enemy who has reached his own territory?

Home terrain and local support restore the enemy’s defensive advantage; continued pressure can overextend the attacker and increase losses.

Why avoid harassing a ‘tyaktātmā’ enemy?

A desperate opponent may fight unpredictably and inflict disproportionate damage; leaving an exit reduces fanatic resistance.