Sutra 9
Devanagari script
तत्रापि बहुकुण्ठाल्पशूरयोः अल्पशूरं श्रेयः शूरेषु हि युद्धमल्पाः शूरा बहूनशूरान्भञ्जन्ति ते भग्नाः स्वसैन्यावघातिनो भवन्ति इत्याचार्याः ॥ कZ_०७.१२.०९ ॥
Transliteration
tatrāpi bahukuṇṭhālpaśūrayoḥ alpaśūraṃ śreyaḥ śūreṣu hi yuddhamalpāḥ śūrā bahūnaśūrānbhañjanti te bhagnāḥ svasainyāvaghātino bhavanti ityācāryāḥ
Translation
ในที่นี้ด้วย ระหว่างกองกำลังจำนวนมากแต่ทื่อทึบ กับกองกำลังจำนวนน้อยแต่กล้าหาญ จำนวนน้อยแต่กล้าหาญย่อมดีกว่า; เพราะเมื่อผู้กล้าลงรบ ผู้กล้าจำนวนน้อยย่อมทำลายผู้ไม่กล้าจำนวนมากได้ และเมื่อพวกเขา (ผู้ไม่กล้า) แตกพ่ายแล้ว ก็กลับเป็นภัยต่อกองทัพของตนเอง—ดังที่อาจารย์ทั้งหลายกล่าวไว้.
Word by Word
तत्रthere; in that context
तत्र:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र
Formअव्यय (देशवाचक)
अपिalso; even
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
Formअव्यय (समुच्चय/अपि-कार)
बहुmany; numerous
बहु:
TypeAdjective
Rootबहु
Formविशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः—‘many’)
कुण्ठdull; blunted; timid/ineffective (as fighters)
कुण्ठ:
TypeAdjective
Rootकुण्ठ
Formविशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी बहुवचन (सम्बन्धे)
अल्पfew; small in number
अल्प:
TypeAdjective
Rootअल्प
Formविशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी बहुवचन (सम्बन्धे)
शूरयोःof/among two (groups of) heroes/brave men
शूरयोः:
TypeNoun
Rootशूर
Formपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी/सप्तमी द्विवचन (योः)
अल्पशूरम्the small (but) brave force; few heroes
अल्पशूरम्:
TypeNoun
Rootअल्पशूर
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अल्पाः शूराः यस्मिन्/यत्र)
श्रेयःis better; preferable
श्रेयः:
TypeNoun
Rootश्रेयस्
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; तुलनार्थे ‘better/superior’
शूरेषुamong heroes; when (there are) brave men
शूरेषु:
TypeNoun
Rootशूर
Formपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी बहुवचन
हिfor; indeed
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
Formअव्यय (हेतौ/निश्चये)
युद्धम्battle; fighting
युद्धम्:
TypeNoun
Rootयुध्
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन
अल्पाःfew
अल्पाः:
TypeAdjective
Rootअल्प
Formविशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन
शूराःheroes; brave warriors
शूराः:
TypeNoun
Rootशूर
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन
बहून्many
बहून्:
TypeAdjective
Rootबहु
Formविशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन
अशूरान्non-heroes; unbrave/ineffective fighters
अशूरान्:
TypeNoun
Rootअशूर
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (न शूराः)
भञ्जन्तिbreak; rout; shatter
भञ्जन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootभञ्ज्
Formलट्; परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन
तेthey
ते:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन
भग्नाःbroken; routed; defeated
भग्नाः:
TypePast participle
Rootभञ्ज् (भङ्ग)
Formकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन
स्वown
स्व:
TypePronoun/Adjective
Rootस्व
Formसर्वनाम-विशेषण; (समासपूर्वपद)
सैन्यarmy; troops
सैन्य:
TypeNoun
Rootसैन्य
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन (सम्बन्धे)
अवघातिनःharmful; causing destruction
अवघातिनः:
TypeNoun/Adjective
Rootअवघातिन्
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; ‘-इन्’ प्रत्ययान्त
भवन्तिbecome; are
भवन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
Formलट्; परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन
इतिthus; so (quotative)
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
Formअव्यय (उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थ)
आचार्याःthe teachers/authorities (say)
आचार्याः:
TypeNoun
Rootआचार्य
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन
Entities Mentioned
Ā
ācāryas (teachers/authorities)Ś
śūra (brave troops)A
aśūra (non-brave troops)FAQs
When they break, they spread disorder and collisions in retreat, damaging friendly formations and morale—thus harming their own side.