Sutra 15

Devanagari script

व्यसनयौगपद्येऽपि गुरुव्यसनोऽस्मि लघुव्यसनः परः सुखेन प्रतिकृत्य व्यसनमात्मनोऽभियुञ्ज्यादिति पश्येज्ज्यायानपि संधीयेत ॥ कZ_०७.३.१५ ॥

Transliteration

vyasanayaugapadye'pi guruvyasano'smi laghuvyasanaḥ paraḥ sukhena pratikṛtya vyasanam ātmano'bhiyuñjyāt iti paśyej jyāyān api saṃdhīyeta

Translation

Even when calamities occur simultaneously, if he sees: ‘I am in a heavier distress; the other is in a lighter one; he can easily remedy his and then press mine,’ he should make peace even with a stronger opponent.

Word by Word

व्यसन-यौगपद्येin the simultaneity of calamities (when calamities occur together)

अपिeven; also

गुरु-व्यसनः(one who has) a major calamity

अस्मिI am

लघु-व्यसनः(one who has) a minor calamity

परःthe other (party/enemy)

सुखेनeasily; with ease

प्रतिकृत्यhaving counteracted / having made a counter-measure

व्यसनम्calamity; disaster

आत्मनःof oneself; one’s own

अभियुञ्ज्यात्should apply / should bring upon / should undertake

इतिthus

पश्येत्should consider; should see

ज्यायान्the stronger; the superior

अपिeven

संधीयेतshould make a treaty; should conclude peace

Entities Mentioned

self state

opponent state

FAQs

What is the strategic logic of simultaneous calamities?

When you are more constrained than the adversary, the adversary can stabilize quickly and then exploit your continuing weakness; peace buys time and prevents opportunistic escalation.