Sutra 49
Devanagari script
यत्परस्य दुर्बलं वीतहस्त्यश्वं दूष्यामात्यं कृतोपजापं वा तत्प्रभूतसारेणाभिहन्यात् ॥ कZ_१०.५.४९ ॥
Transliteration
yatparasya durbalaṃ vītahastyaśvaṃ dūṣyāmātyaṃ kṛtopajāpaṃ vā tatprabhūtasāreṇābhihanyāt
Translation
Whatever is the enemy’s weak point—whether his force is deprived of elephants and horses, or his minister is corruptible, or he has been suborned—he should strike that with superior strength and resources.
Word by Word
यत्whatever/that which
यत्:
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
Formसम्बन्ध-प्रातिपदिक (यद्-शब्द); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (यत् = 'which/that' as relative)
परस्यof the enemy/other party
परस्य:
TypeNoun/Adjective
Rootपर
Formषष्ठी-एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; 'of the other/of the enemy'
दुर्बलम्weakness; weak (point)
दुर्बलम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootदुर्बल
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; 'weak (thing/point)'
वीतहस्ति-अश्वम्lacking elephants and horses (i.e., lacking key mounted/elephant forces)
वीतहस्ति-अश्वम्:
TypeAdjective (compound)
Rootवीत + हस्ति + अश्व
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; वीत = 'devoid of/lacking'; हस्ति-अश्व = 'elephants and horses'; overall: 'devoid of elephants and horses'
दूष्य-अमात्यम्a corruptible (subvertible) minister/official
दूष्य-अमात्यम्:
TypeNoun (compound)
Rootदूष्य + अमात्य
Formपुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; दूष्य = 'corruptible/liable to be corrupted' (from √दूष् 'to spoil/corrupt'); अमात्य = minister/official
कृत-उपजापम्one in whom secret instigation has been effected; already suborned
कृत-उपजापम्:
TypeAdjective (compound)
Rootकृत + उपजाप
Formपुं/नपुंसक; एकवचन; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; कृत = 'done/made'; उपजाप = 'secret instigation/undermining persuasion (subornation)'
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formविकल्पार्थक-अव्यय
तत्that (then that target/weakness)
तत्:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; 'that (weak point/that target)'
प्रभूत-सारेणwith abundant resources/strength
प्रभूत-सारेण:
TypeNoun (compound)
Rootप्रभूत + सार
Formतृतीया-एकवचन; पुं/नपुंसक; प्रभूत = abundant; सार = essence/strength/resources; instrumental: 'with abundant resources/strength'
अभिहन्यात्should strike/attack (it/him)
अभिहन्यात्:
TypeVerb
Root√हन् (हनँ हिंसायाम्) with अभि-
Formविधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपद; 3rd person singular; 'should strike/attack/destroy'
Entities Mentioned
H
hasti (elephants)A
aśva (horses)A
amātya (minister)U
upajāpa (suborning/secret inducement)FAQs
He treats compromised officials and suborned agents as exploitable vulnerabilities on par with material deficits (like loss of cavalry/elephants), making political penetration a legitimate axis of attack.