Sutra 27

Devanagari script

उच्छेदनीयो ह्यनपाश्रयो दुर्बलापाश्रयो वाभियुक्तः कोशदण्डावादायापसर्तुकामः प्रकृतिभिस्त्यज्यते न पीडनीयो दुर्गमित्रप्रतिष्टब्धः ॥ कZ_०७.१०.२७ ॥

Transliteration

ucchedanīyo hy anapāśrayo durbalāpāśrayo vābhiyuktaḥ kośadaṇḍāvādāyāpasartukāmaḥ prakṛtibhis tyajyate na pīḍanīyo durgamitrapratiṣṭabdhaḥ

Translation

Un enemigo es «eliminable» cuando, una vez atacado, carece de apoyo fiable o depende de un apoyo débil; al intentar huir tras vaciar el tesoro y llevarse la fuerza militar, es abandonado por sus propios súbditos. No así el enemigo «hostigable», sostenido por fortalezas y aliados.

Word by Word

उच्छेदनीयःfit to be uprooted / to be eliminated

हिindeed / for

अनपाश्रयःwithout support / without refuge

दुर्बल-अपाश्रयःhaving only weak support / backed by the weak

वाor

अभियुक्तःaccused / proceeded against

कोश-दण्डौthe treasury and the coercive power (army/punitive force)

आदायhaving taken / having seized

अपसर्तु-कामःdesirous of withdrawing / fleeing

प्रकृतिभिःby the prakṛtis (state elements/officials)

त्यज्यतेis abandoned / is deserted

नnot

पीडनीयःfit to be oppressed/harassed

दुर्ग-मित्र-प्रतिष्टब्धःpropped up by a fort and an ally

Entities Mentioned

prakṛti (constituents of the state)

kośa (treasury)

daṇḍa (force/army)

durga (fort)

mitra (ally)

FAQs

What is the practical test for an ‘ucchedanīya’ enemy in this verse?

Under attack he cannot hold loyalty: he tries to exit with cash and troops, and his own prakṛtis defect—making elimination and annexation feasible.