Sutra 57
Devanagari script
सत्त्राभावे हिरण्यं रसविद्धं वा भक्ष्यजातमुभयतःपन्थानमुत्सृजेत् ॥ कZ_०७.१७.५७ ॥
Transliteration
sattrābhāve hiraṇyaṃ rasaviddhaṃ vā bhakṣyajātam ubhayataḥpanthānam utsṛjet
Translation
If no safe refuge/aid-station is available, he should abandon gold, or even provisions tainted with poison; and he should give up the road that is dangerous on both sides.
Word by Word
सत्त्राभावेin the absence of a sattra (state sacrificial session/rite)
सत्त्राभावे:
TypeNoun
Rootसत्त्र + अभाव
Formपुं/नपुं?; एकवचन; सप्तमी (अभावे) — ‘सत्त्रस्य अभावे’ इति अर्थे
हिरण्यम्gold; money/treasure
हिरण्यम्:
TypeNoun
Rootहिरण्य
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया
रसविद्धम्tainted/adulterated with ‘rasa’ (liquid/chemical mixture)
रसविद्धम्:
TypeAdjective (Participle)
Rootरस + विद्ध
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; ‘हिरण्यम्’ इति विशेषणम्; विद्ध = √व्यध् (to pierce/taint) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formविकल्पार्थक अव्ययम्
भक्ष्यजातम्a class/stock of edible goods (provisions)
भक्ष्यजातम्:
TypeNoun
Rootभक्ष्य + जात
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; ‘हिरण्यम् … वा’ इत्यस्य विकल्पपदम्
उभयतःपन्थानम्the route accessible from both sides (two-way route)
उभयतःपन्थानम्:
TypeNoun
Rootउभयतः + पन्थान
Formपुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; ‘पन्थानम्’ (acc. sg.) — उभयतः = ‘दोनों ओर/दोनों दिशाओं से’ इत्यर्थे अव्ययम्
उत्सृजेत्should abandon/leave (it)
उत्सृजेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootउत् + √सृज्
Formविधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन
Entities Mentioned
A
agent/operative (implied)P
poison (rasa)R
route/road (panthā)FAQs
To prioritize mission survival and prevent compromised assets (poisoned food or traceable valuables) from endangering the operative or enabling capture.
A corridor with high ambush probability and no lateral cover—i.e., a predictable, easily interdicted route that should be avoided.