Sutra 18
Devanagari script
जातव्यसनप्रकृतिरन्ध्रमनेकविरुद्धमन्यतो लभमानो वा समो बलसमाद्द् हीनेन लाभेन पणेत ॥ कZ_०७.७.१८ ॥
Transliteration
jātavyasanaprakṛtir andhram anekaviruddham anyato labhamāno vā samo balasamād hīnena lābhena paṇeta
Translation
即便是同等者，若易遭不利、存在弱点、受多重相互矛盾的压力牵制，或对方可在别处获利（有外部选择），也应在兵力对等的情况下以较低收益进行谈判。
Word by Word
जातव्यसनप्रकृतिःone whose nature/constitution has become afflicted by calamity (i.e., a distressed/ruined disposition)
जातव्यसनप्रकृतिः:
TypeNoun
Rootप्रकृति
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; समासः: जात-व्यसन-प्रकृति (यस्यान् प्रकृतिः जातं व्यसनं सा)
अन्ध्रम्a vulnerable point / weakness
अन्ध्रम्:
TypeNoun
Rootअन्ध्र
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनम्
अनेकविरुद्धम्opposed by many / having many adversaries
अनेकविरुद्धम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootविरुद्ध
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनम्; समासः: अनेक-विरुद्ध (many are opposed to him/it)
अन्यतःfrom elsewhere / otherwise
अन्यतः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअन्यतः
Formअव्यय; अपादान/स्रोतः-अर्थे ‘from elsewhere/otherwise’
लभमानःobtaining / getting
लभमानः:
TypeVerb (participle)
Rootलभ्
Formलट्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययः; परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; ‘obtaining’
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formअव्यय; विकल्पार्थकः
समःan equal (in power)
समः:
TypeAdjective
Rootसम
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्
बलसमात्from one equal in strength
बलसमात्:
TypeNoun/Adjective (comparative base)
Rootबलसम
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-एकवचनम्; समासः: बल-सम (equal in strength)
हीनेनby/with an inferior (weaker one)
हीनेन:
TypeAdjective
Rootहीन
Formपुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-एकवचनम्; साधन/करणार्थे
लाभेनwith a gain / by offering an advantage
लाभेन:
TypeNoun
Rootलाभ
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचनम्
पणेतshould bargain / should make an offer (of terms)
पणेत:
TypeVerb
Rootपण्
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदी, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनम्; ‘should bargain/offer’
Entities Mentioned
E
equal power (sama)C
counterpart with outside options (anyato labhamāna)FAQs
Outside options/BATNA: if the other side can profit elsewhere, your leverage falls, making concessionary settlement rational.