Sutra 35
Devanagari script
द्वयोरपि पुरस्ताद्दूष्यबलघातिनोर्यो बहुलतरं शक्तिमत्तरमत्यन्तदूष्यं च घातयेत्सोऽतिसंधत्ते ॥ कZ_०७.१३.३५ ॥
Transliteration
dvayor api purastād dūṣyabalaghātinor yo bahulataraṃ śaktimattaram atyantadūṣyaṃ ca ghātayet so 'tisaṃdhatte
Translation
若双方都先打击不可靠的兵力，则能摧毁更大、更强、且危险性更高的极端不可靠部分者，即施行更高明的策略（atisaṃdhi）。
Word by Word
द्वयोःof the two
द्वयोः:
TypeNumeral/Pronoun (number-word)
Rootद्वि
Formषष्ठी-द्विवचनम् (genitive dual)
अपिalso; even
अपि:
TypeParticle
Rootअपि
Formनिपात (emphatic/inclusive)
पुरस्तात्in front; beforehand; earlier
पुरस्तात्:
TypeAdverb
Rootपुरस्
Formअव्यय (direction/time: ‘in front/earlier’)
दूष्यबलघातिनोःof the two who are assailants striking the vulnerable/defective forces
दूष्यबलघातिनोः:
TypeNoun (agent noun)
Rootघातिन् (from √हन्)
Formषष्ठी-द्विवचनम्; compound: दूष्य-बल-घातिन् = ‘one who strikes the दूष्य’s forces’
योःof which two; of the two (among them)
योः:
TypePronoun (relative)
Rootयद्
Formषष्ठी-द्विवचनम् (genitive dual)
बहुलतरम्more; in greater measure
बहुलतरम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootबहुल
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचनम्; comparative-intensified sense (‘more abundant/greater’) used adverbially with following adjective
शक्तिमत्तरम्more powerful
शक्तिमत्तरम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootशक्तिमत्
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचनम्; comparative (‘more powerful’)
अत्यन्तदूष्यम्that which is extremely vulnerable/defective (as a target)
अत्यन्तदूष्यम्:
TypeAdjective/Noun (qualifier)
Rootदूष्य
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; compound: अत्यन्त-दूष्य = ‘extremely vulnerable/defective (target)’
चand
च:
TypeConjunction
Rootच
Formअव्यय (coordinator)
घातयेत्should strike / should cause to be struck
घातयेत्:
TypeVerb (causative)
Root√हन् (घातयति)
Formलिङ् (विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative) = ‘should cause to be struck/should strike’
सःhe; that one
सः:
TypePronoun (demonstrative)
Rootतद्
Formप्रथमा एकवचनम् पुल्लिङ्गः
अतिसंधत्तेoverreaches; goes too far in his combination/stratagem
अतिसंधत्ते:
TypeVerb
Rootअति-√संधा (संधत्ते)
Formलट्, आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; उपसर्ग: अति-; meaning ‘to overreach/overdo; to act with excessive stratagem’
Entities Mentioned
D
dūṣyabalaFAQs
Because the most capable unreliable element is the highest leverage point for enemy inducement or internal collapse; removing it stabilizes one’s force and denies the opponent a pivot.