Sutra 17

Devanagari script

यदा वा फलमेकहार्यमल्पकालं पश्येत्तदा पार्ष्णिग्राहासाराभ्यां विगृह्य यायात् ॥ कZ_०७.४.१७ ॥

Transliteration

yadā vā phalam ekahāryam alpakālaṃ paśyet tadā pārṣṇigrāhāsārābhyāṃ vigṛhya yāyāt

Translation

Or, when he foresees a gain that can be secured in a single stroke and within a short time, he should march after initiating hostilities against the heel-grasper and the enemy’s weak ally.

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• Type: Pronoun (relative adverb)
• Root: यद्
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-सम्बन्धे ‘यदा…तदा’ युग्मे

• वा: or; alternatively
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक/समुच्चयार्थक

• फलम्: gain; result; advantage
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्म/विषय (पश्येत्)

• एकहार्यम्: obtainable in a single taking/operation; a one-time gain
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + हार्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘फलम्’ इति विशेषणम्; हार्य = हर्तव्य/आहर्तव्य (to be taken/obtained)

• अल्पकालम्: for a short time; within a short period
• Type: Adjective (used adverbially)
• Root: अल्प + काल
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत्—‘for a short time/within a short time’

• पश्येत्: should perceive/see; should judge/consider
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (पश्)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (optative) परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन; ‘he should see/consider’

• तदा: then
• Type: Pronoun (correlative adverb)
• Root: तद्
• Form: अव्यय; ‘यदा…तदा’ सहसंबन्धे

• पार्ष्णिग्राहासाराभ्याम्: by means of the rear-enemy and the weak party/force
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: पार्ष्णिग्राह + असार
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया द्विवचन; साधन/सहकारक—‘by/with (the help of) the rear-enemy and the weak (ally/force)’

• विगृह्य: having broken with; having entered into hostility
• Type: Gerund (absolutive)
• Root: ग्रह् (वि + ग्रह्)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ल्यप्); पूर्वक्रिया—‘having quarrelled/after breaking with’

• यायात्: should go; should march/advance
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative) परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन; ‘he should go/march’

Entities Mentioned

• pārṣṇigrāha
• asāra (weak ally)

More Details

FAQs

What kind of objective is preferred in 7.4.17?

A limited, quickly achievable objective—one that can be taken decisively—paired with actions that prevent rear disruption.