Sutra 25

Devanagari script

अपुरुषा गौर्वन्ध्येव किं दुहीत ॥ कZ_०७.११.२५ ॥

Transliteration

apuruṣā gaur vandhyā iva kiṃ duhīta

Translation

A land without men is like a barren cow—what could it yield?

Word by Word

• अपुरुषा: without a male (i.e., without a bull)
• Type: Noun (Adjective)
• Root: पुरुष
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक विशेषणम् (a- + पुरुष) — ‘without a man/bull’

• गौः: a cow
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• वन्ध्या: barren, infertile
• Type: Noun (Adjective)
• Root: वन्ध्या
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Particle
• Root: इव
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानार्थक-निपात

• किम्: what? (to what purpose?)
• Type: Pronoun (Interrogative)
• Root: किम्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• दुहीत: should you milk? / milk (it)!
• Type: Verb
• Root: दुह्
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थे/विधिलिङ्गार्थे प्रयोगः); परस्मैपदम्; मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन; धातुः दुह् (दोग्धि)

Entities Mentioned

• population/manpower
• productive yield metaphor

More Details

FAQs

What administrative principle is conveyed by this metaphor?

Territorial control is economically meaningless without population to cultivate, trade, pay taxes, and serve in defense.

What policy implication follows for conquered territory?

Secure and retain/attract population (resettlement, protection, incentives) to convert conquest into revenue.