Sutra 8

Devanagari script

युध्यमानश्चाल्पसैन्यः समुद्रमिवाप्लवोऽवगाहमानः सीदति ॥ कZ_१२.१.०८ ॥

Transliteration

yudhyamānaścālpasainyaḥ samudramivāplavo'vagāhamānaḥ sīdati

Translation

Kapag nakikipaglaban na kakaunti ang hukbo, siya’y lulubog—gaya ng taong walang balsa na sumusubok tumawid sa karagatan.

Word by Word

• युध्यमानः: fighting; while fighting
• Type: Verb (participial)
• Root: युध्
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः (present active participle, Parasmaipada); प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; पुल्लिङ्गः

• च: and
• Type: Particle
• Root: च
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्ययम्

• अल्पसैन्यः: one with a small force; having few troops
• Type: Noun (with adjective prefix)
• Root: सैन्य
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; पुल्लिङ्गः; अल्पं सैन्यं यस्य सः (having a small army)

• समुद्रम्: the ocean
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनम्; पुल्लिङ्गः

• इव: like; as if
• Type: Particle
• Root: इव
• Form: उपमार्थक अव्ययम्

• अप्लवः: one without a boat/raft (i.e., without means of crossing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्लव
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; पुल्लिङ्गः; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (प्लवः = नौका/तरिणी; अ-प्लवः = without a boat/raft)

• अवगाहमानः: entering; wading into; attempting to plunge into
• Type: Verb (participial)
• Root: अव-गाह्
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः (present middle participle, Ātmanepada); प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; पुल्लिङ्गः

• सीदति: sinks; perishes; is ruined
• Type: Verb
• Root: सद्
• Form: लट्-लकारः; प्रथमपुरुषः; एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

More Details

FAQs

What is the operational lesson for a king?

Do not initiate or prolong open conflict without sufficient manpower/resources; compensate via alliances, fortification, deception, or delay rather than direct battle.

How is this different from cowardice?

It is capability-based realism: the text discourages wasteful attrition when the probability of survival and success is structurally low.