Sutra 11

Devanagari script

जातव्यसनप्रकृतिरन्ध्रमुपस्थितानर्थं वा ज्यायांसं हीनो दुर्गमित्रप्रतिष्टब्धो वा ह्रस्वमध्वानं यातुकामः शत्रुमयुद्धमेकान्तसिद्धिं वा लाभमादातुकामो बलसमाद्द् हीनेन लाभेन पणेत ॥ कZ_०७.७.११ ॥

Transliteration

jātavyasanaprakṛtir andhram upasthitānarthaṃ vā jyāyāṃsaṃ hīno durgamitrapratiṣṭabdho vā hrasvam adhvānaṃ yātukāmaḥ śatrum ayuddham ekāntasiddhiṃ vā lābham ādātukāmo balasamād hīnena lābhena paṇeta

Translation

If one is prone to misfortune, has an exposed vulnerability, faces imminent calamity, is inferior to a stronger power, is hemmed in by a fort or an enemy’s ally, seeks a short route (quick exit), or wishes to secure gain without battle or with assured success—then, even when one’s forces are comparable, one should bargain for an inferior gain.

Word by Word

जातव्यसनप्रकृतिःa state-element (or person) whose nature has become addicted to vice/misfortune

अन्ध्रम्a weak spot; vulnerability

उपस्थितpresent; arisen; occurring

अनर्थम्harm; calamity; loss

वाor

ज्यायांसम्a stronger/superior (one)

हीनःan inferior (weaker) one

दुर्गमित्रप्रतिष्टब्धःsupported by a fort and an ally

वाor

ह्रस्वम्short

अध्वानम्a journey; route; march-distance

यातुकामःdesiring to go/march

शत्रुम्the enemy

अयुद्धम्non-fighting; avoiding battle

एकान्तसिद्धिम्certain/assured success

वाor

लाभम्gain; profit

आदातुकामःdesiring to take/appropriate

बलसमात्from one equal in strength

हीनेनwith a lesser (smaller)

लाभेनgain; profit (as the stake/return)

पणेतshould stake/bargain/wager

Entities Mentioned

stronger opponent (jyāyān)

enemy ally (mitra)

fort/stronghold (durga)

enemy (śatru)

FAQs

Why accept a lesser gain even when forces are equal?

Because contextual constraints (vulnerability, looming danger, encirclement, urgency, or desire for certainty) can make war-costs and downside risk outweigh the marginal benefit of holding out.