Sutra 40

Devanagari script

मार्गशीर्षीं तैषीं चान्तरेण दीर्घकालां यात्रां यायात् चैत्रीं वैशाखीं चान्तरेण मध्यमकालां ज्येष्ठामूलीयामाषाढीं चान्तरेण ह्रस्वकालामुपोषिष्यन्व्यसने चतुर्थीम् ॥ कZ_०९.१.४० ॥

Transliteration

mārgaśīrṣīṃ taiṣīṃ cāntareṇa dīrghakālāṃ yātrāṃ yāyāt, caitrīṃ vaiśākhīṃ cāntareṇa madhyamakālāṃ, jyeṣṭhāmūlīyām āṣāḍhīṃ cāntareṇa hrasvakālām; upoṣiṣyan vyasane caturthīm

Translation

การยกทัพระยะยาวควรทำในช่วงระหว่างมารคศีรษะกับไตษะ; ระยะปานกลางในช่วงระหว่างไจตรกับไวศาขะ; ระยะสั้นในช่วงระหว่างชเยษฐามูลียะกับอาษาฒะ. ในยามคับขันควรถือปฏิบัติ ‘จตุรถี’ (วัตรเคร่งครัด/การอดอาหาร).

Word by Word

• मार्गशीर्षीम्: (in) Mārgaśīrṣa (month) / the Mārgaśīrṣa-timed (journey)
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: मार्गशीर्ष
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; विशेषण (यात्राम् इति)

• तैषीम्: (in) Taiṣa (month) / the Taiṣa-timed (journey)
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: तैष
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; विशेषण (यात्राम् इति)

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• अन्तरेण: excluding; without; except (for)
• Type: Preposition/Avyaya
• Root: अन्तरेण
• Form: अव्यय; ‘विना/अन्तरे’ अर्थे; तृतीया-समर्थ (instrumental-governing)

• दीर्घकालाम्: a long-duration (journey/campaign)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घकाल
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; विशेषण (यात्राम् इति)

• यात्राम्: campaign; expedition; march
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; कर्मपद

• यायात्: should go; should set out
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; धातुः ‘या’ (गत्यर्थ)

• चैत्रीम्: (in) Caitra (month) / the Caitra-timed (journey)
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: चैत्र
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; विशेषण (यात्राम् इति)

• वैशाखीम्: (in) Vaiśākha (month) / the Vaiśākha-timed (journey)
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: वैशाख
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; विशेषण (यात्राम् इति)

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• अन्तरेण: excluding; without; except (for)
• Type: Preposition/Avyaya
• Root: अन्तरेण
• Form: अव्यय; ‘विना/अन्तरे’ अर्थे; तृतीया-समर्थ

• मध्यमकालाम्: a medium-duration (journey/campaign)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यमकाल
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; विशेषण (यात्राम् इति)

• ज्येष्ठामूलीया: (in) Jyeṣṭha and Mūla (months/periods)
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठामूलीय
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; विशेषण (यात्राम् इति); ‘ज्येष्ठा’ + ‘मूलीया/मूल’ (आषाढपूर्व/आषाढोत्तर-पूर्वमास-निर्देशः)

• आषाढीम्: (in) Āṣāḍha (month) / the Āṣāḍha-timed (journey)
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: आषाढ
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; विशेषण (यात्राम् इति)

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• अन्तरेण: excluding; without; except (for)
• Type: Preposition/Avyaya
• Root: अन्तरेण
• Form: अव्यय; ‘विना/अन्तरे’ अर्थे; तृतीया-समर्थ

• ह्रस्वकालाम्: a short-duration (journey/campaign)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ह्रस्वकाल
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; विशेषण (यात्राम् इति)

• उपोषिष्यन्: intending to wait/fast; remaining in a state of ‘upavāsa’ (halt/abstain)
• Type: Verb (Participle)
• Root: उप-वास्
• Form: भविष्यत्कालिक कृदन्त (लृट्-प्राय/भविष्यत्-कर्तरि); वर्तमान-प्रत्ययवत्; प्रथमा एकवचन पुंलिङ्ग (कर्तृ-विशेषण); ‘उप-वास्’ = उपोषणम्

• व्यसने: in calamity; in distress
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यसन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; सप्तमी; अधिकरण

• चतुर्थीम्: the fourth lunar day (Caturthī)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थी
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया; कर्म/विधेय (दिन-विशेषः)

Entities Mentioned

• Mārgaśīrṣa
• Taiṣa
• Caitra
• Vaiśākha
• Jyeṣṭha–Mūla
• Āṣāḍha
• vyasana (distress)

More Details

FAQs

How does Kauṭilya link campaign duration to the calendar?

He assigns long/medium/short expeditions to specific seasonal intervals to control supply risk, mobility, and agricultural impacts.

What is the governance meaning of ‘upoṣiṣyan vyasane caturthīm’?

In crisis, the ruler adopts austerity and restraint—signaling discipline, conserving resources, and enforcing frugality across the administration.