Sutra 14

Devanagari script

परानीकव्यूहदुर्गस्कन्धावारप्रमर्दना ह्यतिप्रमाणशरीराः प्राणहरकर्माणो हस्तिनः ॥ कZ_०२.२.१४ ॥

Transliteration

parānīkavyūhadurgaskandhāvārapramardanā hyatipramāṇaśarīrāḥ prāṇaharakarmāṇo hastinaḥ

Translation

Ang mga elepante, dahil sa napakalaking katawan at nakamamatay na lakas, ay kayang durugin ang mga pormasyon ng kaaway, mga kuta, at mga kampong militar.

Word by Word

• परानीकव्यूहदुर्गस्कन्धावारप्रमर्दनाः: (Elephants) that crush enemy armies, battle formations, forts, and military camps
• Type: Adjective (Kṛdanta)
• Root: मृद् (मर्दने)
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; क्तृ-प्रत्ययान्त (प्रमर्दन) ‘one who crushes’; समासः: पर-आनीक-व्यूह-दुर्ग-स्कन्धावार-प्रमर्दन (of crushing enemy-armies, battle-formations, forts, and camps)

• हि: indeed / for
• Type: Particle
• Root: हि (निपात)
• Form: निपातः; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ-प्रयोगः

• अतिप्रमाणशरीराः: having very large bodies
• Type: Adjective (Compound)
• Root: शरीर
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; समासः: अति-प्रमाण-शरीर (having a body of excessive/very great size)

• प्राणहरकर्माणः: whose actions are life-taking (lethal)
• Type: Adjective (Compound)
• Root: हृ (हरणे)
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; समासः: प्राण-हर-कर्मन् (whose actions take away life)

• हस्तिनः: elephants
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्तिन्
• Form: प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः; ‘elephant’

Entities Mentioned

• enemy formations
• forts
• camps
• war elephants

More Details

FAQs

What is the implied operational role of elephants here?

They function as a shock-and-breach capability: breaking formations, pressuring fortifications, and disrupting camp security.