Sutra 18

Devanagari script

खरोष्ट्रशकटानां वा गर्भमल्पगजस्तथा ॥ कZ_१०.४.१८च्द् ॥

Transliteration

kharoṣṭraśakaṭānāṃ vā garbham alpagajas tathā

Translation

କିମ୍ବା ଗଧା, ଉଷ୍ଟ୍ର ଓ ଗାଡ଼ିର ବହନକ୍ଷମତାକୁ ଆଶ୍ରୟ କରିବ; ଏହିପରି ହାତୀର ସଂଖ୍ୟା ମଧ୍ୟ କମ୍ ରଖି କାମ ଚଲାଇବ।

Word by Word

• खरोष्ट्र-शकटानाम्: of donkeys, camels, and carts (i.e., of the pack-animals and carts)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खर + उष्ट्र + शकट
• Form: षष्ठी बहुवचन; पुं/नपुं (समूहवाचक); ‘खर-उष्ट्र-शकट’ (गर्दभ/उष्ट्र/गाडी) इत्यस्य समासस्य षष्ठी-बहुवचन रूपम्

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or/alternatively)

• गर्भम्: the centre/core (interior)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ
• Form: द्वितीया एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग

• अल्प-गजः: a small elephant
• Type: Noun
• Root: अल्प + गज
• Form: प्रथमा एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग; विशेषण-विशेष्यभावः (‘अल्पः’ इति विशेषणम् + ‘गजः’)

• तथा: likewise/so too
• Type: Adverb
• Root: तथा
• Form: अव्यय; तुल्यतार्थक/समुच्चयार्थक (likewise/and so)

Entities Mentioned

• khara (donkey)
• uṣṭra (camel)
• śakaṭa (cart)
• gaja (elephant)

More Details

FAQs

What strategic idea is implied by listing donkeys, camels, and carts?

The army’s logistics should be diversified across locally available transport modes, reducing dependence on elite assets and improving resilience.