Sutra 10

Devanagari script

तुल्यदुर्गाणां निचयापसारतो विशेषः ॥ कZ_०७.१५.१० ॥

Transliteration

tulyadurgāṇāṃ nicayāpasārato viśeṣaḥ

Translation

Among forts of equal strength, the decisive difference lies in (i) capacity to stockpile and (ii) capacity to withdraw/evacuate (apasāra).

Word by Word

• तुल्य: equal, comparable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्य
• Form: विशेषण; प्रथमा/द्वितीया/तृतीया/सप्तमी एकवचन (नपुंसकलिङ्गे रूपं तुल्यम्; अत्र समासपूर्वपदत्वेन)

• दुर्गाणाम्: of forts
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्ग
• Form: षष्ठी बहुवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• निचय: accumulation, stockpiling
• Type: Noun (action noun)
• Root: नि-चि
• Form: प्रथमा एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग (अर्थे: संचय/संग्रह)

• अपसारतः: from removal/withdrawal; by (the factor of) removal
• Type: Noun (ablatival form used adverbially)
• Root: अप-√सृ
• Form: पञ्चमी एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-भाव (हेतोः/कारणार्थे अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः)

• विशेषः: difference; special advantage
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि-√शिष्
• Form: प्रथमा एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग

More Details

FAQs

How does Kautilya rank forts that otherwise seem equal?

By their ability to accumulate supplies and to execute an orderly withdrawal/evacuation when needed.