Sutra 11

Devanagari script

कुण्ठा बहवः श्रेयांसः स्कन्धविनियोगादनेकं कर्म कुर्वाणाः स्वेषामपाश्रयो युद्धे परेषां दुर्धर्षा विभीषणाश्च ॥ कZ_०७.१२.११ ॥

Transliteration

kuṇṭhā bahavaḥ śreyāṃsaḥ skandhaviniyogādanekaṃ karma kurvāṇāḥ sveṣāmapāśrayo yuddhe pareṣāṃ durdharṣā vibhīṣaṇāśca

Translation

Es mejor contar con muchos soldados comunes (kuṇṭha): al asignarlos y distribuirlos entre unidades/armas (skandha-viniyoga) pueden realizar múltiples tareas; se brindan apoyo mutuo dentro del propio bando; y en batalla son difíciles de vencer para el enemigo e infunden temor.

Word by Word

• कुण्ठाः: blunt / dull / not sharp (in capability)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुण्ठ
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्ग (विशेषणम्)

• बहवः: many
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्ग (विशेषणम्)

• श्रेयांसः: better / superior
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेयस् (comparative of श्रेष्ठ/श्री)
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्ग (तुलनात्मक-विशेषणम्)

• स्कन्ध-विनियोगात्: from/owing to the assignment (deployment) of divisions/units
• Type: Noun (Ablative phrase)
• Root: स्कन्ध + विनियोग
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्ग; हेतौ/कारणे (—from/owing to deployment of divisions)

• अनेकम्: many / manifold
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (कर्म-विशेषणम्)

• कर्म: task / action / work
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• कुर्वाणाः: doing / performing
• Type: Verb (Participle)
• Root: कृ
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्तः (शतृ), परस्मैपदी; प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्ग

• स्वेषाम्: of their own (people) / of themselves
• Type: Pronoun (Possessive)
• Root: स्व
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचनम् (सम्बन्धे)

• अपाश्रयः: without support / without backing
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपाश्रय
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्ग (बहुव्रीह्यर्थे—‘having no support’)

• युद्धे: in battle / in war
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (अधिकरणे)

• परेषाम्: of the enemies / of others
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: पर
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचनम्

• दुर्धर्षाः: hard to attack / difficult to overpower
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्धर्ष
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्ग

• विभीषणाः: terrifying / causing dread
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विभीषण
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्ग

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम्

Entities Mentioned

• skandha (corps/arms)
• kuṇṭha troops

More Details

FAQs

How does 'skandha-viniyoga' change the value of non-elite troops?

Organized allocation across arms and tasks turns sheer numbers into functional versatility—guarding, labor, logistics, and battlefield depth—creating mutual support and deterrence.