Sutra 22
Devanagari script
भूमिगुणानामपाश्रयः श्रेयान् ॥ कZ_०७.११.२२ ॥
Transliteration
bhūmi-guṇānām apāśrayaḥ śreyān
Translation
भूमेर्गुणानामेव आश्रयः न श्रेयः; तेषामनपाश्रयः श्रेयान्।
Word by Word
भूमि-गुणानाम्of the qualities of the land/territory
भूमि-गुणानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootभूमि; गुण
Formसमासः (भूमेः गुणाः) । ‘गुण’ पुं., षष्ठी-बहुवचनम्; समस्तपदम्
अपाश्रयःnon-dependence; not taking refuge/support (of others)
अपाश्रयः:
TypeNoun
Rootआ-श्रि (श्रयति) उपसर्गः अप-आ-
Formपुं., प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; ‘अपाश्रय’ = आश्रयाभावः/आश्रय-रहितता
श्रेयान्is better/superior
श्रेयान्:
TypeAdjective
Rootश्रेयस् (प्रशस्यतर)
Formपुं., प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; तुलनात्मकः (comparative)
Entities Mentioned
L
land qualities (bhūmi-guṇa)FAQs
Natural advantages are insufficient without controllable factors—people, forts, administration, and security—so strategy should not be land-determinist.
Invest in governance capacity (personnel, logistics, fortification, intelligence) rather than assuming fertile land guarantees power.