Sutra 14
Devanagari script
उच्छेदनीयं वास्य मित्रं मध्यमो लिप्सेत कर्शितमेनं त्रायेत मध्यमवृद्धिभयात् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.१४ ॥
Transliteration
ucchedanīyaṃ vā 'sya mitraṃ madhyamo lipseta karśitam enaṃ trāyeta madhyama-vṛddhi-bhayāt
Translation
Or the Madhyama may seek to win over an ally who is fit to be eliminated; yet he should protect him once exhausted—out of fear of the Madhyama’s further growth (i.e., to prevent the rival’s excessive increase).
Word by Word
उच्छेदनीयम्to be eliminated / fit to be cut off
उच्छेदनीयम्:
TypeAdjective (Kṛdanta)
Rootउत्-छिद्
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; कृदन्त-विशेषण; -अनीय (gerundive/future passive participle) प्रत्यय; अर्थः ‘उच्छेदं कर्तुं योग्यः/कर्तव्यः’
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formअव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (either/or)
अस्यof him / of this one
अस्य:
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
Formषष्ठी, एकवचन, पुं/नपुंसक; ‘अस्य’ = ‘of him/this (one)’
मित्रम्ally, friend
मित्रम्:
TypeNoun
Rootमित्र
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया
मध्यमःthe middle king (intermediate ruler)
मध्यमः:
TypeNoun/Adjective (used substantively)
Rootमध्यम
Formपुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; ‘मध्यमः’ = मध्यम-राजा (intermediate king)
लिप्सेतshould desire/seek to obtain
लिप्सेत:
TypeVerb
Rootलभ्
Formलिङ् (विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; desiderative sense via ‘लिप्स’ (from √लभ्)
कर्शितम्weakened, emaciated
कर्शितम्:
TypeAdjective (Kṛdanta)
Rootकृश्
Formपुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; कृदन्त (क्त) ‘कर्शित’ = कृशित/दुर्बलीकृत
एनम्him
एनम्:
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
Formद्वितीया, एकवचन, पुं; ‘him/that one (near in discourse)’
त्रायेतshould protect, should rescue
त्रायेत:
TypeVerb
Rootत्रा
Formलिङ् (विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; √त्रा ‘to protect’
मध्यम-वृद्धि-भयात्from fear of the middle king’s increase in power
मध्यम-वृद्धि-भयात्:
TypeNoun (with ablative)
Rootभय
Formसमासपद; अन्तिमपद ‘भय’ नपुंसक/पुं (प्रयोगे नपुंसकं सामान्यं), एकवचन, पञ्चमी (अपादान) ‘-भयात्’; पूर्वपदानि: मध्यम (middle king) + वृद्धि (increase, aggrandizement)
Entities Mentioned
M
madhyamaM
mitraFAQs
Because eliminating him may hand territory, revenue, or strategic position to a rival; preserving a weakened buffer can be preferable to rival consolidation.