Sutra 57

Devanagari script

विभवो यावदङ्गानां चतुर्णां सदृशो भवेत् ॥ कZ_१०.५.५७च्द् ॥

Transliteration

vibhavo yāvad aṅgānāṃ caturṇāṃ sadṛśo bhavet

Translation

En la medida en que lo permitan los recursos, la fuerza de los cuatro componentes del ejército debe mantenerse proporcional.

Word by Word

• विभवः: resources; power; means
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभव
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन

• यावत्: as much as; to the extent that
• Type: Indeclinable/Particle
• Root: यावत्
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/सीमा-वाचक (as much as, to the extent that)

• अङ्गानाम्: of the limbs/constituents (of the state)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-बहुवचन

• चतुर्णाम्: of four
• Type: Numeral
• Root: चतुर्
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचन (of four)

• सदृशः: equal; similar; commensurate
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; विशेषण (विभवः इत्यस्य)

• भवेत्: should be; ought to become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: लिङ् (विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Entities Mentioned

• caturaṅga (fourfold army)

More Details

FAQs

What policy principle is embedded in ‘yāvat’ (as far as possible)?

A bounded-optimization rule: balance is ideal, but force design must remain constrained by fiscal and logistical capacity.

Why is proportionality among the four limbs emphasized?

Overweighting one arm creates exploitable vulnerabilities; proportionality supports flexibility across terrains and enemy tactics.