Sutra 22

Devanagari script

प्रायशश्चाचार्याः परव्यसने यातव्यमित्युपदिशन्ति ॥ कZ_०९.१.४२ ॥

Transliteration

prāyaśaścācāryāḥ paravyasane yātavyam ity upadiśanti

Translation

En général, les maîtres conseillent : «il faut marcher lorsque l’ennemi est en détresse (vyasana)».

Word by Word

• प्रायशः: generally; for the most part
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रायशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अर्थे—बहुधा/प्रायः (frequency adverb)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• आचार्याः: the teachers/authorities
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्

• परव्यसने: in the calamity/distress of the other (i.e., the enemy)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर-व्यसन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-एकवचनम्; परस्य व्यसनम् इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• यातव्यम्: one should go; it is to be gone (to)
• Type: Verb (Gerundive)
• Root: या (गत्यर्थक धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (तव्यत्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम्; विध्यर्थे—‘गन्तव्यम्/यातव्यम्’ = should go

• इति: thus; ‘that’ (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय

• उपदिशन्ति: they instruct; they prescribe
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√दिश् (दिश्—निर्देशे)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकाल); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचनम्

Entities Mentioned

• ācāryāḥ
• para (enemy)
• vyasana

More Details

FAQs

What principle of statecraft is being asserted?

Exploit adversary vulnerability: initiate operations when the opponent is distracted, weakened, or administratively stressed.