Sutra 5

Devanagari script

यदा वा पश्येत्स्वदण्डैर्मित्राटवीदण्डैर्वा समं ज्यायांसं वा कर्शयितुमुत्सहे इति तदा कृतबाह्याभ्यन्तरकृत्यो विगृह्यासीत ॥ कZ_०७.४.०५ ॥

Transliteration

yadā vā paśyet svadaṇḍair mitrāṭavīdaṇḍair vā samaṃ jyāyāṃsaṃ vā karśayitum utsahe iti tadā kṛtabāhyābhyantarakṛtyo vigṛhy āsīta

Translation

O cuando percibe: «Con mis propias fuerzas —o con las fuerzas de aliados y jefes de los bosques— puedo desgastar a un enemigo igual o incluso más fuerte», entonces, tras completar los preparativos externos e internos, debe entrar en hostilidad y permanecer en postura (āsana).

Word by Word

यदाwhen

वाor

पश्येत्should see / should find (that)

स्वदण्डैःwith his own forces/punitive power

मित्राटवीदण्डैःwith the forces of allies and of the forest (tribes/region)

वाor

समम्equally; on equal terms

ज्यायांसम्a stronger (one) / a superior (enemy/king)

वाor

कर्शयितुम्to weaken / wear down / harass

उत्सहेI am able / I dare / I can undertake

इतिthus (thinking/saying)

तदाthen

कृतबाह्याभ्यन्तरकृत्यःhaving completed external and internal tasks/preparations

विगृह्यhaving declared/undertaken hostility; having engaged in war

आसीतshould remain / should stay (in position)

Entities Mentioned

own forces (svadaṇḍa)

allies (mitra)

forest forces (āṭavīdaṇḍa)

equal/stronger enemy

FAQs

What is the decision test for initiating hostility here?

A capability assessment that one can attrit an equal or stronger enemy, using own forces and/or allied/forest auxiliaries.

What does ‘kṛtabāhyābhyantarakṛtya’ imply administratively?

A checklist discipline: logistics, finance, internal security, diplomacy, and domestic stability must be secured before escalation.