Sutra 12

Devanagari script

विरुद्धदेशकालमिहागतो वा स्वयमेव क्षयव्ययाभ्यां न भविष्यति महाक्षयव्ययाभिगम्योऽयं देशो दुर्गाटव्यपसारबाहुल्यात् ॥ कZ_०७.१५.१२f ॥

Transliteration

viruddhadeśakālamihāgato vā svayameva kṣayavyayābhyāṃ na bhaviṣyati mahākṣayavyayābhigamyo'yaṃ deśo durgāṭavyapasārabāhulyāt

Translation

वह प्रतिकूल देश-काल में यहाँ आ भी गया हो, तो भी वह अपने-आप ही क्षय और व्यय में पड़ जाए, यह आवश्यक नहीं; क्योंकि यह प्रदेश दुर्गों, वनों और पलायन/हटने के मार्गों की बहुतायत के कारण बड़े क्षय और बड़े व्यय वाला है।

Word by Word

विरुद्धhostile, opposed, adverse

देशterritory, country, region

कालम्time, season, occasion

इहhere, in this context/place

आगतःarrived, having come

वाor, alternatively

स्वयम्by oneself, of itself

एवindeed, just, only

क्षयdecay, diminution, loss

व्ययexpense, outlay

आभ्याम्by/through (the two): by loss and expenditure

नnot

भविष्यतिwill be, will happen

महाgreat, large

क्षयloss, depletion

व्ययexpenditure

अभिगम्यःto be approached/attained (only) by

अयम्this

देशःterritory, region

दुर्गfort, stronghold

अटवीforest, wilderness

अपसारwithdrawal, retreat, escape/exit route

बाहुल्यात्because of abundance, due to prevalence

Entities Mentioned

durga

āṭavī

apasāra

FAQs

What caution does Kautilya add about relying on enemy self-attrition?

That adverse terrain/season alone may not break the enemy; the theatre’s forts, forests, and withdrawal routes can prolong conflict and raise costs for all.