Sutra 9

Devanagari script

तत्रापि बहुकुण्ठाल्पशूरयोः अल्पशूरं श्रेयः शूरेषु हि युद्धमल्पाः शूरा बहूनशूरान्भञ्जन्ति ते भग्नाः स्वसैन्यावघातिनो भवन्ति इत्याचार्याः ॥ कZ_०७.१२.०९ ॥

Transliteration

tatrāpi bahukuṇṭhālpaśūrayoḥ alpaśūraṃ śreyaḥ śūreṣu hi yuddhamalpāḥ śūrā bahūnaśūrānbhañjanti te bhagnāḥ svasainyāvaghātino bhavanti ityācāryāḥ

Translation

Aqui também, entre (uma força de) muitos soldados obtusos e (uma força de) poucos soldados valentes, são preferíveis os poucos valentes: pois, quando os bravos combatem, um pequeno número de valentes rompe muitos não valentes; e, uma vez rompidos, esses (não valentes) tornam-se prejudiciais ao seu próprio exército—assim dizem os mestres.

Word by Word

तत्रthere; in that context

अपिalso; even

बहुmany; numerous

कुण्ठdull; blunted; timid/ineffective (as fighters)

अल्पfew; small in number

शूरयोःof/among two (groups of) heroes/brave men

अल्पशूरम्the small (but) brave force; few heroes

श्रेयःis better; preferable

शूरेषुamong heroes; when (there are) brave men

हिfor; indeed

युद्धम्battle; fighting

अल्पाःfew

शूराःheroes; brave warriors

बहून्many

अशूरान्non-heroes; unbrave/ineffective fighters

भञ्जन्तिbreak; rout; shatter

तेthey

भग्नाःbroken; routed; defeated

स्वown

सैन्यarmy; troops

अवघातिनःharmful; causing destruction

भवन्तिbecome; are

इतिthus; so (quotative)

आचार्याःthe teachers/authorities (say)

Entities Mentioned

ācāryas (teachers/authorities)

śūra (brave troops)

aśūra (non-brave troops)

FAQs

What is the 'negative externality' Kautilya’s teachers identify with non-brave troops?

When they break, they spread disorder and collisions in retreat, damaging friendly formations and morale—thus harming their own side.