Sutra 35

Devanagari script

निम्नयोधिनो ह्युपरुद्धदेशकालाः स्थलयोधिनस्तु सर्वदेशकालयोधिनः ॥ कZ_०७.१०.३५ ॥

Transliteration

nimnayodhino hyuparuddhadeśakālāḥ sthalayodhinastu sarvadeśakālayodhinaḥ

Translation

นักรบที่สู้ในพื้นที่ต่ำถูกจำกัดด้วยสถานที่และเวลา; แต่นักรบบนพื้นดินสามารถปฏิบัติการได้ทุกแห่งและทุกเวลา

Word by Word

• निम्नयोधिनः: fighters positioned on lower ground
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: युध्
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; निम्न- (अव्यय/विशेषण) + योधिन् (युध्-धातुज, ‘fighter’) → ‘low-lying/low-ground fighters’

• हि: indeed / for
• Type: Particle
• Root: हि
• Form: निपातः; हेतौ/निश्चये ‘indeed/for’

• उपरुद्धदेशकालाः: restricted as to place and time (i.e., constrained in position and timing)
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: रुध्
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; उपरुद्ध (उप-√रुध्, क्त) + देश + काल; ‘whose place and time are blocked/restricted’

• स्थलयोधिनः: fighters on firm/high ground
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: युध्
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; स्थल- ‘high/firm ground’ + योधिन् ‘fighter’

• तु: but / however
• Type: Particle
• Root: तु
• Form: निपातः; विरोध/विभेदे ‘but/however’

• सर्वदेशकालयोधिनः: fighters for all places and times (universally adaptable fighters)
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: युध्
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; सर्व + देश + काल + योधिन्; ‘fighters (effective) in all places and times’

Entities Mentioned

• nimnayodhinaḥ
• sthalayodhinaḥ
• deśa
• kāla

More Details

FAQs

What administrative lesson does Kautilya imply by contrasting low-ground and land-ground fighters?

Prefer assets and formations that are deployable across diverse conditions; avoid over-dependence on capabilities that function only under narrow terrain/time windows.