Sutra 13

Devanagari script

आश्रयकारी सम्पन्नघाती पार्ष्णिरासारो मध्यम उदासीनो वा प्रतिकर्तव्यः संकटो मार्गः शोधयितव्यः कोशो दण्डो मित्रामित्राटवीबलं विष्ट्यृतुर्वा प्रतीक्ष्याः कृतदुर्गकर्मनिचयरक्षाक्षयः क्रीतबलनिर्वेदो मित्रबलनिर्वेदश्चागमिष्यति उपजपितारो वा नातित्वरयन्ति शत्रुरभिप्रायं वा पूरयिष्यति इति शनैर्यायात् विपर्यये शीघ्रम् ॥ कZ_१०.२.१३ ॥

Transliteration

āśrayakārī sampannaghātī pārṣṇir āsāro madhyama udāsīno vā pratikartavyaḥ saṃkaṭo mārgaḥ śodhayitavyaḥ kośo daṇḍo mitrāmitrāṭavībalaṃ viṣṭyṛtur vā pratīkṣyāḥ kṛtadurgakarmanicaya-rakṣā-kṣayaḥ krītabala-nirvedo mitrabala-nirvedaś cāgamiṣyati upajapitāro vā nātitvarayanti śatrur abhiprāyaṃ vā pūrayiṣyati iti śanair yāyāt viparyaye śīghram

Translation

जो शत्रू आश्रय/समर्थन शोधतो, संपन्नतेवर/साधनांवर घाव घालतो आणि पाठीमागून हल्ला करतो—तो बलवान असो, समकक्ष असो किंवा उदासीन असो—त्याचा प्रतिकार करावा. कठीण मार्ग साफ करावा. कोश आणि दंडशक्ती तयार होईपर्यंत, तसेच मित्र, अमित्र, आटवी-बल, विष्टी (बेगार) आणि ऋतु/हवामान अनुकूल होईपर्यंत प्रतीक्षा करावी. दुर्गकाम, साठा, संरक्षण आणि (शत्रूचा) क्षय पुढे घडेल; भाडोत्री व मित्रसेनाही (अतिताणामुळे) थकतील. किंवा उपजप (विघटन) करणारे एजंट फार घाई करणार नाहीत; किंवा शत्रू आपला हेतू पूर्ण करेल—म्हणून हळू जावे; उलट परिस्थितीत वेगाने।

Word by Word

आश्रयकारीproviding shelter/cover (a route that offers refuge)

सम्पन्नघातीone that destroys a well-equipped (enemy)

पार्ष्णिरासारःa route suited for pressure/attack from behind (rear-pressing)

मध्यमःthe intermediate (king/power)

उदासीनःthe neutral (king/power)

वाor

प्रतिकर्तव्यःshould be countered/acted against

संकटःdangerous/difficult

मार्गःroute/road (line of march)

शोधयितव्यःshould be cleared/secured

कोशःtreasury

दण्डःcoercive power/force (punishment, army)

मित्रामित्राटवीबलम्the forces of allies, enemies, and forest-tribes

विष्टिःcorvée/forced labour

ऋतुःseason

वाor

प्रतीक्ष्याःshould be waited for/kept in view

कृतदुर्गकर्मनिचयरक्षाक्षयःthe exhaustion of protection/guarding of accumulated fortification works

क्रीतबलनिर्वेदःdisaffection/weariness of hired troops

मित्रबलनिर्वेदःdisaffection of allied forces

चand

आगमिष्यतिwill come/occur

उपजपितारःsecret persuaders/instigators (suborners)

वाor

नnot

अतित्वरयन्तिdo not hasten (too much)

शत्रुःenemy

अभिप्रायम्intention/plan

वाor

पूरयिष्यतिwill fulfill/complete

इतिthus

शनैःslowly/gradually

यायात्should proceed/go

विपर्ययेin the contrary case

शीघ्रम्quickly

Entities Mentioned

kośa (treasury)

daṇḍa (coercive power)

mitra (ally)

amitra (enemy)

aṭavī-bala (forest forces/tribes)

viṣṭi (corvée)

upajapti (subversion)

FAQs

What is the administrative logic of ‘kośa’ and ‘daṇḍa’ being ‘pratīkṣyāḥ’ (to be awaited)?

Campaign movement should not outrun fiscal capacity and coercive capability; otherwise supply, discipline, and bargaining power collapse.

Why does Kautilya explicitly mention season (ṛtu) and corvée (viṣṭi)?

Because infrastructure work, transport, and sustainment depend on labor availability and weather windows; ignoring them creates preventable failure.

How does this verse treat operational tempo?

Tempo is conditional: move slowly when enemy intentions, agent operations, and readiness are uncertain; move quickly when conditions favor decisive action.