Sutra 16

Devanagari script

यदा वा पश्येत्मित्रमाक्रन्दश्च मे शूरवृद्धानुरक्तप्रकृतिः विपरीतप्रकृतिः परः पार्ष्णिग्राहश्चासारश्च शक्ष्यामि मित्रेणासारमाक्रन्देन पार्ष्णिग्राहं वा विगृह्य यातुमिति तदा विगृह्य यायात् ॥ कZ_०७.४.१६ ॥

Transliteration

yadā vā paśyet mitram ākrandaś ca me śūravṛddhānuraktaprakṛtiḥ viparītaprakṛtiḥ paraḥ pārṣṇigrāhaś cāsāraś ca śakṣyāmi mitreṇāsāram ākrandena pārṣṇigrāhaṃ vā vigṛhya yātum iti tadā vigṛhya yāyāt

Translation

Ou bien, lorsqu’il voit que son allié et l’État d’appui à l’arrière lui sont fidèles et composés d’éléments braves et aguerris, tandis que les éléments de l’ennemi lui sont défavorables; et lorsque le « saisisseur de talon » de l’ennemi (le voisin qui menace l’arrière) et son allié faible sont vulnérables—de sorte qu’avec son allié il peut frapper l’allié faible de l’ennemi, ou qu’avec son appui arrière il peut frapper le saisisseur de talon—alors il doit engager les hostilités et marcher.

Word by Word

यदाwhen

वाor/alternatively

पश्येत्should perceive/should see

मित्रम्an ally

आक्रन्दःthe rear enemy (one who attacks from behind)

चand

मेmy/of me

शूर-वृद्ध-अनुरक्त-प्रकृतिः(whose) state-constituents are brave, mature/experienced, and loyal

विपरीत-प्रकृतिः(whose) state-constituents are hostile/turned against (him)

परःthe enemy (the other)

पार्ष्णिग्राहःthe rear-pressing enemy (heel-grabber)

चand

असारःweak/insubstantial

चand

शक्ष्यामिI shall be able

मित्रेणby/with an ally

असारम्the weak one

आक्रन्देनby/with the rear enemy

पार्ष्णिग्राहम्the heel-grabber enemy

वाor

विगृह्यhaving fought/after making war

यातुम्to go/to march

इतिthus (thinking/‘that’)

तदाthen

विगृह्यhaving fought/after making war

यायात्should go/should march

Entities Mentioned

ally (mitra)

ākranda (rear-supporting power)

enemy

pārṣṇigrāha (rear threat)

FAQs

What is the operational logic of 7.4.16?

March when your support system (ally + rear base) is reliable, and the enemy’s support system (weak ally + rear threat) can be neutralized through coordinated action.

Why is the ‘pārṣṇigrāha’ relevant before marching?

Because an expedition fails if the rear is threatened; neutralizing or containing the heel-grasper is a prerequisite to sustained operations.