Sutra 58

Devanagari script

भिन्नसंघातनं तस्मान्न युध्येताप्रतिग्रहः ॥ कZ_१०.५.५८च्द् ॥

Transliteration

bhinnasaṃghātanaṃ tasmān na yudhyet āpratigrahaḥ

Translation

અતએવ, વિખેરાયેલ ગોઠવણી ફરીથી ઘન બની ન આવે ત્યાં સુધી યુદ્ધ ન કરવું; ‘પ્રતિગ્રહ’ની ટુકડીને અટકાવી (રિઝર્વમાં) રાખવી.

Word by Word

• भिन्न-संघातनम्: the breaking/disruption of the (enemy) formation/mass
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: भिद् (भिन्न) + संघात
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; विशेषण-विशेष्यभावः—‘भिन्नः’ इति विशेषणं ‘संघातनम्’ इति विशेष्यं

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that (reason)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, एकवचन, पञ्चमी; अपादान/हेतु-अर्थे ‘therefore/from that’

• न: not
• Type: Particle (negation)
• Root: न
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• युध्येत: he should fight
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: लिङ् (विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘he should fight’

• अ-प्रतिग्रहः: one who does not accept (offers/terms); non-acceptance
• Type: Noun (compound with privative)
• Root: ग्रह् (प्रतिग्रह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; नञ्-पूर्वकः—‘प्रतिग्रहः’ (स्वीकारः) इत्यस्य अभावः

Entities Mentioned

• saṃghāta (cohesion)
• pratigraha (reserve)

More Details

FAQs

What is the key ‘nīti’ principle in this verse?

Cohesion is combat power: avoid engagement when unit integrity is compromised; preserve a reserve for stabilization.

How does this relate to modern command doctrine?

It mirrors ‘do not commit reserves piecemeal’ and ‘reconstitute before counterattack’—maintaining tempo without sacrificing control.