Sutra 50

Devanagari script

शत्रुराटविको वा इति परस्योद्वेगमाचरेत् ॥ कZ_१०.६.५०च्द् ॥

Transliteration

śatrur āṭaviko vā iti parasyodvegam ācaret.

Translation

Let him cultivate the opponent’s anxiety by keeping it uncertain whether the threat is the enemy (regular force) or forest-tribes/raiders.

Word by Word

• शत्रुः: an enemy
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन

• आटविकः: a forest-dweller / forest chief (Āṭavika)
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: आटविक
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; विशेषणवत् (वन्य/आटवी-सम्बद्ध)

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय

• इति: thus; (saying/thinking) “…”
• Type: Particle/Quotative
• Root: इति
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्त्यर्थक अव्यय

• परस्य: of the other (party); of the opponent
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: पर
• Form: पुं/नपुं; षष्ठी-एकवचन

• उद्वेगम्: alarm; agitation; fear
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्वेग
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन

• आचरेत्: should practice/bring about; should cause (to arise)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√चर्
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

Entities Mentioned

• enemy forces
• āṭavika (forest/tribal irregulars)

More Details

FAQs

Why does ambiguity (‘enemy or āṭavika’) matter strategically?

Uncertain attribution forces overreaction, dispersal of troops, and mistrust of local populations—raising the opponent’s security costs.

What modern concept does this resemble?

Gray-zone operations and attribution-denial: blending regular and irregular threats to complicate response.