Sutra 6
Devanagari script
तयोरल्पबहुत्वे धान्यकान्तादल्पान्महदधान्यकान्तं श्रेयः ॥ कZ_०७.११.०६ ॥
Transliteration
tayor alpabahutve dhānyakāntād alpān mahad-adhānyakāntaṃ śreyaḥ
Translation
When choosing between the two by the criterion of lesser vs. greater, a larger tract of arable, grain-bearing land is preferable to a smaller one.
Word by Word
तयोःof the two (alternatives)
तयोः:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formषष्ठी-द्विवचनम् (genitive dual)
अल्पबहुत्वेin (the matter of) smallness and largeness / lesser and greater quantity
अल्पबहुत्वे:
TypeNoun
Rootअल्प + बहुत्व
Formसप्तमी-एकवचनम् (locative singular); नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; ‘अल्पत्व-बहुत्व’ इत्यर्थः
धान्यकान्तात्from the ‘grain-preferred/ grain-related’ option (i.e., the grain-favoured one)
धान्यकान्तात्:
TypeNoun
Rootधान्यकान्त
Formपञ्चमी-एकवचनम् (ablative singular); पुंलिङ्गम्; धान्यस्य कान्तः (प्रियः/आकर्षकः) इति व्युत्पत्त्या
अल्पात्from the smaller (quantity)
अल्पात्:
TypeAdjective (used substantively)
Rootअल्प
Formपञ्चमी-एकवचनम् (ablative singular); नपुंसकलिङ्गम्/पुंलिङ्ग-प्रयोगसम्भवः; ‘अल्प (परिमाण) से’
महत्the greater (quantity)
महत्:
TypeAdjective (used substantively)
Rootमहत्
Formप्रथमा-एकवचनम् (nominative singular); नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; ‘महद् (परिमाण)’
धान्यकान्तम्the grain-preferred/ grain-related (option)
धान्यकान्तम्:
TypeNoun
Rootधान्यकान्त
Formप्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (here as predicate with श्रेयः: ‘(is) better’); धान्यस्य कान्तम्
श्रेयःis better / preferable
श्रेयः:
TypeNoun (comparative-grade abstract)
Rootश्रेयस्
Formप्रथमा-एकवचनम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; विधेय-प्रयोगः (predicate nominative)
Entities Mentioned
A
arable land (dhānyakānta)FAQs
A comparative capacity test (small vs. large) focused on how much grain-bearing land the territory contains, because that predicts stable revenue and provisioning.
Because it expands the state’s dependable fiscal and provisioning base, enabling sustained administration and military operations.