Sutra 12

Devanagari script

आटविकामित्रैर्वा वैरं ग्राहयेत् ॥ कZ_०५.६.१२ ॥

Transliteration

āṭavikāmitrair vā vairaṃ grāhayet

Translation

Or he should have enmity taken up (initiated) against the target through forest allies.

Word by Word

• आटविकामित्रैः: by/through the allies of the forest-tribes (forest allies)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आटविक + मित्र
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-बहुवचन; (आटविकानां मित्राणि = आटविकामित्राणि) तेषां तृतीया-बहुवचनम्

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्ययम्

• वैरम्: enmity/hostility
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैर
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन

• ग्राहयेत्: should cause (someone) to take up/enter into (mutual) enmity; should instigate hostility
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (ग्रहण)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोजक (causative) रूपम्; विधिलिङ्/आज्ञार्थे (optative); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन; लकारः—विधिलिङ्

Entities Mentioned

• forest allies (āṭavika-mitra)
• target polity/person

More Details

FAQs

Why use ‘forest allies’ to start hostility?

They provide deniable pressure and local operational advantage, allowing the state to weaken an adversary without direct attribution.

What risk does this method manage?

It reduces diplomatic costs and preserves the option to negotiate while the proxy conflict degrades the opponent.