Sutra 12

Devanagari script

आसन्नो वास्य च्छिद्रेषु प्रहरेत् ॥ कZ_०७.२.१२ ॥

Transliteration

āsanno vā sya cchidreṣu praharet

Translation

Or, if positioned close, one should strike at his weak points.

Word by Word

• आसन्नः: being near; close at hand
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सद् (√सद्) / आसन्न (ppp of आ-√सद्)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गम्; विशेषणम् (कर्तरि)

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्ययम्

• अस्य: of him; his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचनम्, पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; सम्बन्धे (of him/of it)

• छिद्रेषु: in the weak points; in the vulnerabilities
• Type: Noun
• Root: छिद्र
• Form: सप्तमी-बहुवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; अधिकरणे

• प्रहरेत्: should strike; should attack
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√हृ (हरति) / √हृ (to strike)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; ‘should strike/attack’

Entities Mentioned

• chidra (vulnerability/weakness)

More Details

FAQs

What counts as ‘chidra’ in Kauṭilyan statecraft?

Any exploitable gap—logistical weakness, factionalism, financial strain, frontier exposure, intelligence lapses, or unpopular governance.