Sutra 29

Devanagari script

परावापात्प्रत्यावापाच्च चतुर्गुणादाष्टगुणादिति वा विभवतः सैन्यानामावापः ॥ कZ_१०.५.२९ ॥

Transliteration

parāvāpāt pratyāvāpāc ca caturguṇād āṣṭaguṇād iti vā vibhavataḥ sainyānām āvāpaḥ

Translation

பராவாபம் மற்றும் பிரத்யாவாபம் ஆகியவற்றிலிருந்து, வளம்/திறனைப் பொறுத்து, படைகளின் பங்கீடு நான்கு மடங்கிலிருந்து எட்டு மடங்கு வரை (செய்யப்பட வேண்டும்).

Word by Word

परावापात्from ‘parāvāpa’ (sowing in another’s/hostile territory)

प्रत्यावापात्from ‘pratyāvāpa’ (counter-sowing / sowing in return)

चand

चतुर्गुणात्from the fourfold measure

आष्टगुणात्from the eightfold measure

इतिthus / as follows

वाor

विभवतःof one who has resources / according to capacity

सैन्यानाम्of the armies / troops

आवापःthe sowing (measure/act of sowing)

Entities Mentioned

parāvāpa

pratyāvāpa

vibhava (resources)

sainya (forces)

FAQs

What does ‘fourfold to eightfold’ indicate in administrative terms?

A standardized scaling rule: force allocation should expand within a defined band (4–8×) depending on available resources and the operational method (parāvāpa/pratyāvāpa).

Why tie troop apportionment to ‘vibhava’ (means)?

Kautilya anchors military ambition to fiscal and logistical capacity, preventing overextension.