Sutra 29
Devanagari script
परावापात्प्रत्यावापाच्च चतुर्गुणादाष्टगुणादिति वा विभवतः सैन्यानामावापः ॥ कZ_१०.५.२९ ॥
Transliteration
parāvāpāt pratyāvāpāc ca caturguṇād āṣṭaguṇād iti vā vibhavataḥ sainyānām āvāpaḥ
Translation
പരാവാപത്തിലും പ്രത്യാവാപത്തിലും നിന്ന്, വിഭവം/ശേഷി അനുസരിച്ച്, സൈന്യങ്ങളുടെ വിഭജനം നാലുമടങ്ങ് മുതൽ എട്ടുമടങ്ങ് വരെ (ചെയ്യണം).
Word by Word
परावापात्from ‘parāvāpa’ (sowing in another’s/hostile territory)
परावापात्:
TypeNoun
Root√वप् (वपन)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-एकवचन; ‘परावाप’ (पर + आ + वाप) इति संज्ञा/भाववाचक-शब्दः; अपादानार्थे ‘-त्’
प्रत्यावापात्from ‘pratyāvāpa’ (counter-sowing / sowing in return)
प्रत्यावापात्:
TypeNoun
Root√वप् (वपन)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-एकवचन; ‘प्रत्यावाप’ (प्रति + आ + वाप) इति संज्ञा/भाववाचक-शब्दः; अपादानार्थे
चand
च:
TypeParticle
Rootच
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय
चतुर्गुणात्from the fourfold measure
चतुर्गुणात्:
TypeNoun
Rootगुण
Formपुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-एकवचन; ‘चतुर् + गुण’ = चतुर्गुण (चारगुणः)
आष्टगुणात्from the eightfold measure
आष्टगुणात्:
TypeNoun
Rootगुण
Formपुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-एकवचन; ‘अष्ट + गुण’ = अष्टगुण; (आष्टगुण = अष्टगुणात्)
इतिthus / as follows
इति:
TypeParticle
Rootइति
Formउद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formविकल्पार्थक-अव्यय
विभवतःof one who has resources / according to capacity
विभवतः:
TypeNoun (used adjectivally)
Rootविभव
Formपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-एकवचन; ‘विभवत्’/‘विभव’—समर्थ/सम्पन्न; सम्बन्धे (genitive)
सैन्यानाम्of the armies / troops
सैन्यानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootसैन्य
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-बहुवचन; ‘सेना’सम्बद्धम्
आवापःthe sowing (measure/act of sowing)
आवापः:
TypeNoun
Root√वप् (वपन)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; ‘आ + वाप’—बीजवपनम्; कर्तृ/विषय-निर्देशः
Entities Mentioned
P
parāvāpaP
pratyāvāpaV
vibhava (resources)S
sainya (forces)FAQs
A standardized scaling rule: force allocation should expand within a defined band (4–8×) depending on available resources and the operational method (parāvāpa/pratyāvāpa).
Kautilya anchors military ambition to fiscal and logistical capacity, preventing overextension.