Sutra 16

Devanagari script

संधिविग्रहयोश्चेत्परकर्शनमात्मोपचयं वा नाभिपश्येज्ज्यायानप्यासीत ॥ कZ_०७.३.१६ ॥

Transliteration

saṃdhivigrahayoś cet parakarśanam ātmopacayaṃ vā nābhipaśyej jyāyān apy āsīta

Translation

หากไม่ว่าโดยสันติหรือโดยสงคราม เขามองไม่เห็นทั้งการทำให้ศัตรูอ่อนกำลังลงหรือการเติบโตของตนเอง ก็พึงอยู่นิ่ง—แม้ตนจะมีกำลังเหนือกว่า—ก็ตาม।

Word by Word

• सन्धि-विग्रहयोः: of (the options) peace and war
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्धि; विग्रह
• Form: षष्ठी-द्विवचनम् (genitive dual)

• चेत्: if
• Type: Particle
• Root: चेत्
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्ययम् (conditional)

• परकर्शनम्: weakening/attrition of the other (enemy)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष् (कर्षणे)
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (accusative singular neuter)

• आत्मोपचयम्: or increase of one’s own strength/resources
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपचय
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; समासः आत्मन्+उपचय (accusative singular neuter)

• वा: or
• Type: Particle
• Root: वा
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्ययम्

• न: not
• Type: Particle
• Root: न
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्

• अभिपश्येत्: should (one) not foresee/see
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (दर्शने)
• Form: लिङ् (विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; उपसर्गः अभि- (optative: ‘should see/foresee’)

• ज्यायान्: the superior (one)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्यायस्
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, पुल्लिङ्गम् (comparative: ‘greater/superior’)

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Particle
• Root: अपि
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-अव्ययम्

• आसीत: should remain (inactive)/should stay
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (उपवेशने/स्थितौ)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थे), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; (आसीत = ‘let him remain/should stay’)

Entities Mentioned

• stronger king/state

More Details

FAQs

Why recommend inaction even to the stronger side?

Strength alone is not a reason to act; if neither enemy attrition nor self-advantage results, action wastes resources and creates unnecessary risks.