Sutra 7
Devanagari script
समश्चेन्न संधिमिच्छेद् यावन्मात्रमपकुर्यात्तावन्मात्रमस्य प्रत्यपकुर्यात् ॥ कZ_०७.३.०७ ॥
Transliteration
samaś cen na saṃdhim icched yāvanmātram apakuryāt tāvanmātram asya pratyapakuryāt
Translation
หากฝ่ายที่มีกำลังเท่าเทียมไม่ประสงค์สันติ ควรโต้ตอบเพียงเท่ากับความเสียหายที่เขาก่อ—ให้พอดีตามขนาด
Word by Word
समः(if he is) equal (in power)
समः:
TypeNoun/Adjective
Rootसम
Formप्रथमा-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; विशेषणम् (कर्तरि)
चेत्if
चेत्:
TypeParticle
Rootचेत्
Formनिपातः; शर्तार्थकः (if)
नnot
न:
TypeParticle
Rootन
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्
सन्धिम्peace / treaty / alliance-settlement
सन्धिम्:
TypeNoun
Rootसन्धि
Formद्वितीया-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; कर्म
इच्छेत्should seek / should desire
इच्छेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootइष् (इच्छ)
Formलोट्/विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; ‘should desire/should seek’
यावत्-मात्रम्to the extent that / as much as
यावत्-मात्रम्:
TypeAdjective (quantifier)
Rootयावत् + मात्रा
Formअव्ययीभाववत् परिमाणवाचक-समासः; द्वितीया-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; ‘as much as’ (extent)
अपकुर्यात्should harm / should act against (him)
अपकुर्यात्:
TypeVerb
Rootअप + कृ
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; ‘should do harm/act adversely’
तावत्-मात्रम्just that much / to the same extent
तावत्-मात्रम्:
TypeAdjective (quantifier)
Rootतावत् + मात्रा
Formपरिमाणवाचक-समासः; द्वितीया-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; ‘just so much’
अस्यof him / his
अस्य:
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
Formषष्ठी-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः/सर्वनाम; ‘of him’
प्रत्यपकुर्यात्should retaliate / should counteract with equal harm
प्रत्यपकुर्यात्:
TypeVerb
Rootप्रति + अप + कृ
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; ‘should counter-harm/retaliate’
Entities Mentioned
S
sama (equal power)FAQs
It preserves deterrence without triggering a costly spiral of escalation that would drain both sides, consistent with Kauṭilya’s attrition warning for equal-power wars.