Sutra 29
Devanagari script
परावापात्प्रत्यावापाच्च चतुर्गुणादाष्टगुणादिति वा विभवतः सैन्यानामावापः ॥ कZ_१०.५.२९ ॥
Transliteration
parāvāpāt pratyāvāpāc ca caturguṇād āṣṭaguṇād iti vā vibhavataḥ sainyānām āvāpaḥ
Translation
From parāvāpa and from pratyāvāpa, the apportionment of forces is (to be made) fourfold to eightfold, according to resources/capacity.
Word by Word
परावापात्from ‘parāvāpa’ (sowing in another’s/hostile territory)
परावापात्:
TypeNoun
Root√वप् (वपन)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-एकवचन; ‘परावाप’ (पर + आ + वाप) इति संज्ञा/भाववाचक-शब्दः; अपादानार्थे ‘-त्’
प्रत्यावापात्from ‘pratyāvāpa’ (counter-sowing / sowing in return)
प्रत्यावापात्:
TypeNoun
Root√वप् (वपन)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-एकवचन; ‘प्रत्यावाप’ (प्रति + आ + वाप) इति संज्ञा/भाववाचक-शब्दः; अपादानार्थे
चand
च:
TypeParticle
Rootच
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय
चतुर्गुणात्from the fourfold measure
चतुर्गुणात्:
TypeNoun
Rootगुण
Formपुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-एकवचन; ‘चतुर् + गुण’ = चतुर्गुण (चारगुणः)
आष्टगुणात्from the eightfold measure
आष्टगुणात्:
TypeNoun
Rootगुण
Formपुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-एकवचन; ‘अष्ट + गुण’ = अष्टगुण; (आष्टगुण = अष्टगुणात्)
इतिthus / as follows
इति:
TypeParticle
Rootइति
Formउद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formविकल्पार्थक-अव्यय
विभवतःof one who has resources / according to capacity
विभवतः:
TypeNoun (used adjectivally)
Rootविभव
Formपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-एकवचन; ‘विभवत्’/‘विभव’—समर्थ/सम्पन्न; सम्बन्धे (genitive)
सैन्यानाम्of the armies / troops
सैन्यानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootसैन्य
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-बहुवचन; ‘सेना’सम्बद्धम्
आवापःthe sowing (measure/act of sowing)
आवापः:
TypeNoun
Root√वप् (वपन)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; ‘आ + वाप’—बीजवपनम्; कर्तृ/विषय-निर्देशः
Entities Mentioned
P
parāvāpaP
pratyāvāpaV
vibhava (resources)S
sainya (forces)FAQs
A standardized scaling rule: force allocation should expand within a defined band (4–8×) depending on available resources and the operational method (parāvāpa/pratyāvāpa).
Kautilya anchors military ambition to fiscal and logistical capacity, preventing overextension.