Sutra 36

Devanagari script

खनकाकाशयोधिभ्यः खनकेभ्यो भूमिलाभः श्रेयान् ॥ कZ_०७.१०.३६ ॥

Transliteration

khanakākāśayodhibhyaḥ khanakebhyo bhūmilābhaḥ śreyān

Translation

खनकाकाशयोधिभ्यः खनकेभ्यः भूमिलाभः श्रेयान्।

Word by Word

• खनक-आकाश-योधिभ्यः: from miners and ‘sky-fighters’ (aerial combatants/operatives)
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: खनक / आकाश / योधिन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; पञ्चमी (अपादान); समासान्त-पद: -भ्यः

• खनकेभ्यः: from miners
• Type: Noun
• Root: खनक
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; पञ्चमी (अपादान)

• भूमि-लाभः: acquisition of land/territory
• Type: Noun (compound)
• Root: भूमि / लाभ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (कर्तृ/विषय)

• श्रेयान्: is better / preferable
• Type: Adjective (comparative)
• Root: श्रेयस्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा; श्रेयस्-शब्दस्य तुलनात्मक-रूपम् (comparative)

Entities Mentioned

• khanaka
• ākāśayodhin
• bhūmi

More Details

FAQs

Why would miners be preferred for ‘winning ground’ in Kautilya’s logic?

Because engineering methods (tunneling, undermining, breaching) convert effort into durable territorial control and positional advantage, not merely momentary assault success.