Sutra 8
Devanagari script
आशानिर्वेदिपरिसृप्तयोराशानिर्वेदि लब्धाभिप्रायं युध्येत न परिसृप्तमपसृतमुख्यम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.०८ ॥
Transliteration
āśānirvediparisṛptayor āśānirvedi labdhābhiprāyaṃ yudhyeta na parisṛptam apasṛtamukhyam
Translation
Between one whose intention is known and one that has dispersed, he should fight the one whose aim has been ascertained; he should not fight the dispersed force whose main body has withdrawn.
Word by Word
आशानिर्वेदिdespondent; having given up hope
आशानिर्वेदि:
TypeNoun (adjectival)
Rootआशा + निर्वेदिन्
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे? (here used as adjective); प्रथमा/द्वितीया/सप्तमी?—in this sūtra it functions as an adjective qualifying the person/state; stem: आशानिर्वेदिन्- (one who has become indifferent to hope)
परिसृप्तयोःof the one who has slipped away/escaped (or: of the two—despondent and escaped)
परिसृप्तयोः:
TypeNoun/Participle (adjectival)
Rootपरि-√सृप्
Formद्विवचनम्, सप्तमी/षष्ठी (योः); past passive participle sense ‘one who has slipped away/escaped’; here paired with आशानिर्वेदि in a dual-locative/genitive construction
आशानिर्वेदिthe despondent one
आशानिर्वेदि:
TypeNoun (adjectival)
Rootआशा + निर्वेदिन्
Form(repeated for contrast); used as object-qualifier with लब्धाभिप्रायम्; accusative singular implied by agreement with लब्धाभिप्रायम् (n. acc. sg.)
लब्धाभिप्रायम्having learned/ascertained the intention (plan)
लब्धाभिप्रायम्:
TypeParticiple/Adjective
Root√लभ् + अभिप्राय
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, एकवचनम्, द्वितीया; ‘having obtained/ascertained the intention (plan)’; qualifies the object (आशानिर्वेदि) or the situation before fighting
युध्येतshould fight
युध्येत:
TypeVerb
Root√युध्
Formलोट्/विधिलिङ् (optative) आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष एकवचनम्; injunction: ‘should fight/engage’
नnot
न:
TypeParticle (negation)
Rootन
Formनिषेध
परिसृप्तम्the one who has slipped away/escaped
परिसृप्तम्:
TypeParticiple (adjectival)
Rootपरि-√सृप्
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, एकवचनम्, द्वितीया; past passive participle: ‘one who has slipped away/escaped’—object of (implied) ‘fight/attack’ under negation
अपसृतमुख्यम्whose leader/main element has withdrawn
अपसृतमुख्यम्:
TypeAdjective (compound)
Rootअप-√सृ + मुख्य
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, एकवचनम्, द्वितीया; lit. ‘whose chief/leader has withdrawn’ or ‘having withdrawn the main force/leader’; qualifies परिसृप्तम् (the escaped party)
Entities Mentioned
E
enemy main body (mukhya)FAQs
Prefer engagements with clear enemy intent and identifiable center of gravity; avoid fighting a dispersed adversary when the main body has already slipped away (costly, inconclusive operations).