Skip to content
navigationtools

Arthashastra

Progress:15.6%

x

मौल भृतक श्रेणी मित्र अमित्र अटवी बलानां समुद्दान कालाः ॥

THE time of recruiting troops, such as hereditary troops (maula), hired troops, corporation of soldiers (srení), troops belonging to a friend or to an enemy, and wild tribes.

english translation

मूल रक्षणाद् अतिरिक्तं मौल बलम्, अत्यावाप युक्ता वा मौला मूले विकुर्वीरन्, बहुल अनुरक्त मौल बलः सार बलो वा प्रतियोद्धा, व्यायामेन योद्धव्यम्, प्रकृष्टे अध्वनि काले वा क्षय व्यय सहत्वान् मौलानाम्, बहुल अनुरक्त सम्पाते च यातव्यस्य उपजाप भयाद् अन्य सैन्यानां भृत आदीनाम् अविश्वासे, बल क्षये वा सर्व सैन्यानां इति मौल बल कालः॥

When he (a king) thinks that his hereditary army is more than he requires for the defence of his own possessions or when he thinks that as his hereditary army consists of more men than he requires, some of them may be disaffected; or when he thinks that his enemy has a strong hereditary army famous for its attachment, and is, therefore, to be fought out with much skill on his part; or when he thinks that though the roads are good and the weather favourable, it is still the hereditary army that can endure wear and tear; or when he thinks that though they are famous for their attachment, hired soldiers and other kinds of troops cannot be relied upon lest they might lend their ears to the intrigues of the enemy to be invaded; or when he thinks that other kinds of force are wanting in strength, then is the time for taking the hereditary army.

english translation

"प्रभूतं मे भृत बलम् अल्पं च मौल बलम्ण्" "परस्य अल्पं विरक्तं वा मौल बलम्, फल्गु प्रायम् असारं वा भृत सैन्यम्ण्" "मन्त्रेण योद्धव्यम् अल्प व्यायामेनण्" "ह्रस्वो देशः कालो वा तनु क्षय व्ययह्ण्" "अल्प आवापं शान्त उपजापं विश्वस्तं वा मे सैन्यम्ण्" "परस्य अल्पः प्रसारो हन्तव्यह्ण्" इति भृत बल कालः ॥

When he thinks that the army he has hired is greater than his hereditary army; that his enemy's hereditary army is small and disaffected, while the army his enemy has hired is insignificant and weak; that actual fight is less than treacherous fight; that the place to be traversed and the time required do not entail much loss; that his own army is little given to stupor, is beyond the fear of intrigue, and is reliable; or that little is the enemy's power which he has to put down, then is the time for leading the hired army.

english translation

"प्रभूतं मे श्रेणी बलम्, शक्यं मूले यात्रायां च आधातुम्ण्" ह्रस्वः प्रवासः, श्रेणी बल प्रायः प्रतियोद्धा मन्त्र व्यायामाभ्यां प्रतियोद्धु कामः, दण्ड बल व्यवहारः इति श्रेणी बल कालः ॥

When he thinks that the immense corporation of soldiers he possesses can be trusted both to defend his country and to march against his enemy; that he has to be absent only for a short time; or that his enemy's army consists mostly of soldiers of corporations, and consequently the enemy is desirous of carrying on treacherous fight rather than an actual war, then is the time for the enlistment of corporations of soldiers (srení).

english translation

"प्रभूतं मे मित्र बलं शक्यं मूले यात्रायां च आधातुम्ण्" "अल्पः प्रवासो मन्त्र युद्धाच् च भूयो व्यायाम युद्धम्ण्" "मित्र बलेन वा पूर्वम् अटवीं नगर स्थानम् आसारं वा योधयित्वा पश्चात् स्व बलेन योद्धयिष्यामिण्" "मित्र साधारणं वा मे कार्यम्ण्" "मित्र आयत्ता वा मे कार्य सिद्धिह्ण्" "आसन्नम् अनुग्राह्यं वा मे मित्रम्ण्" "अत्यावापं वा अस्य सादयिष्यामि" इति मित्र बल कालः ॥

When he thinks that the strong help he has in his friend can be made use of both in his own country and in his marches; that he has to be absent only for a short time, and actual fight is more than treacherous fight; that having made his friend's army to occupy wild tracts, cities, or plains and to fight with the enemy's ally, he, himself, would lead his own army to fight with the enemy's army; that his work can be accomplished by his friend as well; that his success depends on his friend; that he has a friend near and deserving of obligation; or that he has to utilize the excessive force of his friend, then is the time for the enlistment of a friend's army.

english translation