Sutra 6

Devanagari script

यदा वा पश्येत् उत्साहयुक्ता मे प्रकृतयः संहता विवृद्धाः स्वकर्माण्यव्याहताश्चरिष्यन्ति परस्य वा कर्माण्युपहनिष्यन्ति इति तदा विगृह्यासीत ॥ कZ_०७.४.०६ ॥

Transliteration

yadā vā paśyet utsāhayuktā me prakṛtayaḥ saṃhatā vivṛddhāḥ svakarmāṇy avyāhatāś cariṣyanti parasya vā karmāṇy upahaniṣyanti iti tadā vigṛhy āsīta

Translation

Ou lorsqu’il constate : «Mes éléments constitutifs de l’État (prakṛti) sont pleins d’ardeur, unis et renforcés ; ils accompliront leurs fonctions sans entrave et entraveront les opérations de l’ennemi», alors il doit entrer en hostilité et maintenir la posture (āsana).

Word by Word

यदाwhen

वाor / alternatively

पश्येत्should see / should observe

उत्साहयुक्ताःendowed with energy/initiative

मेmy

प्रकृतयःconstituent elements of the state (prakṛtis)

संहताःunited / consolidated

विवृद्धाःgrown / strengthened

स्वकर्माणिtheir own tasks/duties

अव्याहतानिunobstructed / unhindered

चand

चरिष्यन्तिwill carry out / will perform

परस्यof the other (enemy)

वाor

कर्माणिoperations / actions

उपहनिष्यन्तिwill strike at / will damage / will thwart

इतिthus / thinking that

तदाthen

विगृह्यhaving undertaken hostility / having declared war

आसीतshould remain / should stay (in that stance)

Entities Mentioned

prakṛti (state elements)

enemy operations

FAQs

What are ‘prakṛtayaḥ’ and why do they matter for war decisions?

They are the core components of the state apparatus; war is advised only when these components are cohesive, growing, and operationally reliable.

What is the key strategic indicator besides strength?

Operational continuity: one’s administration and military must function unhindered while being able to disrupt the adversary’s functioning.