Sutra 34
Devanagari script
यदि वा मन्येत न मे शक्तः परः कर्माण्युपहन्तुं नाहं तस्य कर्मोपघाती वा व्यसनमस्य श्ववराहयोरिव कलहे वा स्वकर्मानुष्ठानपरो वा वर्धिष्ये इत्यासनेन वृद्धिमातिष्ठेत् ॥ कZ_०७.१.३४ ॥
Transliteration
yadi vā manyeta na me śaktaḥ paraḥ karmāṇy upahantuṃ nāhaṃ tasya karmopaghātī vā vyasanam asya śvavarāhayor iva kalahe vā svakarmānuṣṭhānaparo vā vardhiṣye ity āsanena vṛddhim ātiṣṭhet
Translation
或者，若判断：“敌人无力扰乱我的行动；我也不处于能扰乱其行动的地位。他为诸多困厄所缠——如狗与野猪纠缠争斗——或者我可专注于履行自身事务而增长”，则应以保持中立（āsana）来谋求增益。
Word by Word
यदिif
यदि:
TypeParticle
Rootयद्
Formavyaya (conditional)
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formavyaya (alternative)
मन्येतhe should think/consider
मन्येत:
TypeVerb
Rootमन् (मन्यते)
Formoptative, 3rd sg, parasmaipada? (ātmanepada usage: manyate); present-system; ‘he should think/consider’
नnot
न:
TypeParticle
Rootन
Formnegation
मेof me / to me
मे:
TypePronoun
Rootअहम्
Formgenitive/dative singular (enclitic)
शक्तःable, capable
शक्तः:
TypeAdjective
Rootशक्
Formnom. sg. masc. (past participial adjective: ‘able’)
परःanother (person), the other/foe
परः:
TypeAdjective/Noun
Rootपर
Formnom. sg. masc.
कर्माणिactions, undertakings
कर्माणि:
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मन्
Formacc. pl. neut.
उपहन्तुम्to harm, to obstruct, to damage
उपहन्तुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootउप-हन्
Forminfinitive (tumun)
नnot
न:
TypeParticle
Rootन
Formnegation
अहम्I
अहम्:
TypePronoun
Rootअहम्
Formnom. sg.
तस्यof him/that (person)
तस्य:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formgen. sg. masc./neut.
कर्मोपघातीa destroyer/obstructor of (his) actions
कर्मोपघाती:
TypeNoun/Adjective
Rootकर्मन् + उप-घातिन्
Formnom. sg. masc. (‘one who harms X’)
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formavyaya (alternative)
व्यसनम्calamity/misfortune
व्यसनम्:
TypeNoun
Rootव्यसन
Formnom./acc. sg. neut.
अस्यof him/this (person)
अस्य:
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
Formgen. sg. masc./neut.
श्ववराहयोःof a dog and a boar
श्ववराहयोः:
TypeNoun
Rootश्वन् + वराह
Formgen./loc. dual
इवlike, as if
इव:
TypeParticle
Rootइव
Formavyaya (simile)
कलहेin a quarrel/fight
कलहे:
TypeNoun
Rootकलह
Formloc. sg. masc.
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formavyaya (alternative)
स्वकर्मानुष्ठानपरःdevoted to the performance of one’s own duties/undertakings
स्वकर्मानुष्ठानपरः:
TypeAdjective
Rootस्व + कर्मन् + अनु-ष्ठा + पर
Formnom. sg. masc.
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formavyaya (alternative)
वर्धिष्येI shall grow/prosper
वर्धिष्ये:
TypeVerb
Rootवृध्
Formfuture, 1st sg, ātmanepada
इतिthus
इति:
TypeParticle
Rootइति
Formquotative
आसनेनby (the policy of) remaining seated/quiet (strategic inaction)
आसनेन:
TypeNoun
Rootआसन
Forminstrumental sg. neut.
वृद्धिम्increase, growth, advantage
वृद्धिम्:
TypeNoun
Rootवृद्धि
Formacc. sg. fem.
आतिष्ठेत्he should undertake/maintain (it), he should resort to
आतिष्ठेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-स्था
Formoptative, 3rd sg, parasmaipada
Entities Mentioned
P
para (enemy)FAQs
When neither side can effectively disrupt the other, and growth is better achieved through internal administration or when the enemy is preoccupied with other troubles.
It signals an enemy entangled in a draining conflict—creating an opportunity to wait and strengthen rather than incur war costs.