Sutra 10

Devanagari script

कुपितमूलभिन्नगर्भयोः कुपितमूलं प्रशमितकोपं सामादिभिर्युध्येत न भिन्नगर्भमन्योन्यस्माद्भिन्नम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.१० ॥

Transliteration

kupitamūlabhinnagarbhayoḥ kupitamūlaṃ praśamitakopaṃ sāmādibhir yudhyeta na bhinnagarbham anyonyasmād bhinnam

Translation

Between (an enemy) whose root-base is angered and (one) whose inner cohesion is split, one should fight the “angered-at-the-root” opponent—after first pacifying his wrath through conciliation and allied measures; one should not fight the internally split opponent, for his parts are separated from one another (and will collapse on their own).

Word by Word

कुपितमूलभिन्नगर्भयोःof the two—(the one) with an enraged base and (the one) with a split interior

कुपितमूलम्the one whose base is enraged

प्रशमितकोपम्with anger pacified

सामादिभिःby conciliation and the other means

युध्येतshould fight/engage

नnot

भिन्नगर्भम्the one with a divided interior

अन्योन्यस्मात्from one another

भिन्नम्separated/divided

Entities Mentioned

king

enemy

FAQs

Why avoid fighting a 'bhinna-garbha' enemy?

Because internal fragmentation makes the enemy self-weakening; direct battle is unnecessary when collapse or defection can be induced.

What is the administrative intent behind 'praśamita-kopa'?

Stabilize the opponent’s emotional volatility via diplomacy/inducements so the ruler controls escalation and chooses timing.