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

Even if he has come here in an unsuitable territory and season, he will not necessarily suffer attrition and expense by himself; this region is one that entails great losses and great costs because it abounds in forts, forests, and opportunities for withdrawal/escape routes.

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.