Sutra 33

Devanagari script

यदि वा पश्येत् आयुधीयप्रायः श्रेणीप्रायो वा मे जनपदः शैलवननदीदुर्गैकद्वारारक्षो वा शक्ष्यति पराभियोगं प्रतिहन्तुम् विषयान्ते दुर्गमविषह्यमपाश्रितो वा शक्ष्यामि परकर्माण्युपहन्तुं ॥ कZ_०७.१.३३अ ॥

Transliteration

yadi vā paśyet āyudhīyaprāyaḥ śreṇīprāyo vā me janapadaḥ śailavananadīdurgaikadvārārakṣo vā śakṣyati parābhiyogaṃ pratihantum viṣayānte durgam aviṣahyam apāśrito vā śakṣyāmi parakarmāṇy upahantuṃ

Translation

或者，如果他预见：“我的领土多具尚武之风，并以类似行会的编制组织；或有山、林、河流、堡垒以及狭窄而设防的关口守护，因此能够击退敌军进攻；或我可在边境依托一座不可攻破的要塞，从而打击对方的行动”—那么（据此）他可以选择一种既能削弱对手、又能确保自身安全的政策。

Word by Word

यदिif

वाor

पश्येत्he should see/observe; he may find

आयुधीय-प्रायःmostly consisting of armed men / predominantly military

श्रेणी-प्रायःmostly consisting of guilds (organized corporations)

वाor

मेof me / my

जनपदःthe countryside/territory (of my state)

शैल-वन-नदी-दुर्ग-एकद्वार-रक्षः(a territory) protected by mountains, forests, rivers, a fort, and a single gate/access

वाor

शक्ष्यतिwill be able

पर-अभियोगम्an enemy’s attack/expedition

प्रतिहन्तुम्to repel/counterstrike

विषय-अन्तेat the edge/frontier of the district/territory

दुर्गम्a fort

अविषह्यम्unendurable; hard to overcome

अपाश्रितःhaving taken refuge (in it)

वाor

शक्ष्यामिI shall be able

पर-कर्माणिthe enemy’s actions/operations

उपहन्तुम्to strike at; to damage; to thwart

Entities Mentioned

janapada

guilds (śreṇī)

fortress (durga)

frontier

FAQs

What state capacities justify a more aggressive posture despite threat?

A militarized/organized populace, strong natural and fort defenses, controlled chokepoints, and access to an unassailable frontier fortress enabling safe offensive disruption.

What is the niti principle?

Build resilience (terrain, forts, social organization) so the state can absorb attack while continuing to degrade the adversary’s capacity.