Sutra 22

Devanagari script

तेन सहैकमुपगृह्येतरमुच्छिन्द्यादुभौ वा ॥ कZ_०७.२.२२ ॥

Transliteration

tena sahaikam upagṛhya etaram ucchindyād ubhau vā

Translation

With him (the mediator/neutral), having secured one party, he should cut off the other—or cut off both.

Word by Word

• तेन: with that; by means of that
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; तृतीया-एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (करण/सहकारे)

• सह: together with
• Type: Particle
• Root: सह
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक-निपात (सहयोगे)

• एकम्: one (of them)
• Type: Numeral/Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: विशेषण/संख्यावाचक; द्वितीया-एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• उपगृह्य: having seized/held (one)
• Type: Verb (Gerund)
• Root: उप-ग्रह्
• Form: क्त्वान्त (ल्यप्) अव्यय; उपसर्गः उप-; अर्थः ‘गृहीत्वा/आलम्ब्य’

• इतरम्: the other (one)
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: इतर
• Form: विशेषण/सर्वनामसदृश; द्वितीया-एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• उच्छिन्द्यात्: should cut off/destroy/sever
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-छिद्
• Form: लिङ् (विधिलिङ्); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष-एकवचन; उपसर्गः उद्-; धातुः छिद् (छेदने)

• उभौ: both (of them)
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: उभ
• Form: द्विवचन-प्रयोग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-द्विवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग (अर्थतः ‘both’)

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात

Entities Mentioned

• madhyama/udāsīna ally (implicit reference: tena)
• one rival
• the other rival

More Details

FAQs

Why would the text allow eliminating ‘both’?

If conditions permit, removing multiple threats prevents future encirclement—provided the ally’s power can be managed afterward.