Sutra 8

Devanagari script

हस्तिवनयोरपि यो बहुशूरमृगं दुर्बलप्रतिवेशं अनन्तावक्लेशि विषयान्ते हस्तिवनं बध्नाति सोऽतिसंधत्ते ॥ कZ_०७.१२.०८ ॥

Transliteration

hastivanayorapi yo bahuśūramṛgaṃ durbalaprativeśaṃ anantāvakleśi viṣayānte hastivanaṃ badhnāti so'tisaṃdhatte

Translation

हस्तिवनयोः अपि यो बहुशूरमृगं दुर्बलप्रतिवेशम् अनन्तावक्लेशि विषयान्ते हस्तिवनं बध्नाति सः अतिसंधत्ते।

Word by Word

हस्ति-वनयोःof the elephant-forest and the (other) forest (i.e., in both elephant-forest and forest contexts)

अपिeven; also

यःwho (he who)

बहु-शूर-मृगम्a very fierce wild animal

दुर्बल-प्रतिवेशम्a weak neighboring (settlement/territory)

अनन्त-अवक्लेशिcausing no (or minimal) continuing trouble/strain

विषय-अन्तेat the border of the territory/district

हस्ति-वनम्an elephant-forest (elephant reserve)

बध्नातिestablishes/sets up; secures

सःhe

अति-संधत्तेoverdoes it; makes an excessive/over-subtle arrangement (goes too far)

Entities Mentioned

hastivana (elephant forest)

frontier (viṣayānta)

neighbors (prativeśa)

FAQs

Why is an elephant-forest a strategic asset in Kautilya’s statecraft?

Because control of elephant supply affects battlefield power and bargaining leverage; frontier placement can deny rivals and secure rapid mobilization.