Sutra 56
Devanagari script
हीनमनुहन्यात् न त्वेव स्वभूमिप्राप्तं त्यक्तात्मानं वा ॥ कZ_१०.३.५६ ॥
Transliteration
hīnamanuhanyāt na tveva svabhūmiprāptaṃ tyaktātmānaṃ vā
Translation
弱い敵は追撃して打ってよい。しかし、自国の領域に到達した者や、絶望して無謀になった者（字義どおりには「自らを捨てた者」）を悩ませてはならない。
Word by Word
हीनम्one who is inferior / weaker (as the object to be dealt with)
हीनम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootहीन
Formविशेषणम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गे एकवचनम् द्वितीया (कर्मपद-विशेषणम्)
अनुहन्यात्he should strike/attack (him)
अनुहन्यात्:
TypeVerb
Rootअनु-हन्
Formविधिलिङ् (optative) परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम्; लोट्/विध्यर्थः—‘should strike/kill/attack’
नnot
न:
TypeParticle
Rootन
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्
तुbut
तु:
TypeParticle
Rootतु
Formअव्ययम्; विरोध/विशेषार्थकः
एवindeed / only
एव:
TypeParticle
Rootएव
Formअव्ययम्; अवधारणार्थकः
स्वभूमि-प्राप्तम्one who has reached his own land/territory
स्वभूमि-प्राप्तम्:
TypeParticiple (verbal adjective)
Rootप्राप्त (√प्राप्)
Formसमासः: स्वभूमेः प्राप्तम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गे एकवचनम् द्वितीया (कर्मपदम्)
त्यक्त-आत्मानम्a man who has abandoned himself / a desperate (reckless) person
त्यक्त-आत्मानम्:
TypeNoun phrase (compound)
Rootत्यक्त (√त्यज्) + आत्मन्
Formसमासः: त्यक्तः आत्मा यस्य सः (but used here as accusative singular of the bahuvrīhi as an epithet); पुंलिङ्गे एकवचनम् द्वितीया (कर्मपदम्)
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formविकल्पार्थक-अव्ययम्
Entities Mentioned
K
king/rulerW
weaker enemyR
retreating enemyFAQs
Home terrain and local support restore the enemy’s defensive advantage; continued pressure can overextend the attacker and increase losses.
A desperate opponent may fight unpredictably and inflict disproportionate damage; leaving an exit reduces fanatic resistance.