Sutra 18

Devanagari script

गोग्रहणेन श्वापदवधेन वा परवीरानाकृष्य सत्त्रच्छन्नोऽभिहन्यात् ॥ कZ_१०.३.१८ ॥

Transliteration

gograhaṇena śvāpadavadhena vā paravīrān ākṛṣya sattracchanno 'bhihanyāt

Translation

By seizing cattle, or by killing wild beasts, one should lure out the enemy’s fighters and then strike them while concealed by cover (sattrā).

Word by Word

• गो-ग्रहणेन: by the seizure/raiding of cattle
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह् (ग्रहण) / गो
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; तृतीया; (ग्रहण) — ‘गो’ + ‘ग्रहण’ = ‘गोग्रहण’

• श्वापद-वधेन: or by the killing of wild beasts
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध / श्वापद
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; तृतीया; ‘श्वापद’ + ‘वध’ = ‘श्वापदवध’

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय

• पर-वीरान्: enemy warriors
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; बहुवचन; द्वितीया; ‘पर’ (शत्रु/अन्य) + ‘वीर’

• आकृष्य: having drawn (them) out / lured (them)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृष् (आ + कृष्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘आकृष्य’ = ‘आकर्षणं कृत्वा’

• सत्त्र-छन्नः: disguised/covered by (the pretext of) a sattra
• Type: Noun (used adjectivally)
• Root: छद् (छन्न) / सत्त्र
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा; ‘सत्त्रेण’ (by a sattra) + ‘छन्न’ (covered/disguised)

• अभिहन्यात्: he should strike/kill (them)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (अभि + हन्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; ‘अभिहन्यात्’ = ‘प्रहारं कुर्यात्/हन्तुं शक्नुयात्’

Entities Mentioned

• cattle (go)
• wild beasts (śvāpadāḥ)
• enemy fighters
• cover (sattrā)

More Details

FAQs

Why would killing wild beasts lure enemy fighters?

It can function as a provocation or staged ‘service’ near contested zones, prompting patrols or champions to respond—creating an ambush opportunity.