Sutra 4

Devanagari script

समेन चामं पात्रमामेनाहतमिवोभयतः क्षयं करोति ॥ कZ_०७.३.०४ ॥

Transliteration

samena cāmaṃ pātram āmenāhatam ivobhayataḥ kṣayaṃ karoti

Translation

And war with an equal causes depletion on both sides—like an unbaked vessel struck by an unbaked object.

Word by Word

• समेन: with an equal (measure/amount); evenly
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनम् (नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे) — विशेषणम्; ‘सम’ = समान/सम्यक्

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• आमम्: raw, unprocessed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आम
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (नपुंसकलिङ्गम्) — विशेषणम्

• पात्रम्: a vessel; container (measuring vessel)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (नपुंसकलिङ्गम्)

• आमेन: by/with something raw
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आम
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनम् (नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे) — विशेषणम्

• आहतम्: struck; afflicted; damaged
• Type: Participle
• Root: आ-हन्
• Form: कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (नपुंसकलिङ्गम्); कर्मणि-भावः — ‘struck/afflicted’

• इव: as if; like
• Type: Particle
• Root: इव
• Form: उपमार्थक-अव्ययम्

• उभयतः: from both sides; in both ways
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उभयतः
• Form: अव्ययम्; दिशार्थ/पक्षद्वयार्थ — ‘from both sides/ways’

• क्षयम्: loss; depletion; diminution
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (पुंलिङ्गम्)

• करोति: causes; makes; produces
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: लट्-लकारः, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

Entities Mentioned

• sama (equal power)

More Details

FAQs

Why does Kauṭilya discourage fighting equals even if victory is possible?

Because equal-power war tends to be high-cost and erodes both states’ capacity, creating openings for third parties and long-term weakness.