Arthashastra
Progress:21.5%
"ब्राह्मण क्षत्रिय वैश्य शूद्र सैन्यानां तेजः प्राधान्यात् पूर्वं पूर्वं श्रेयः सम्नाहयितुम्" इत्य् आचार्याः ॥
My teacher says that of the armies composed of Bráhmans, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, or Súdras, that which is mentioned first is, on account of bravery, better to be enlisted than the one subsequently mentioned in the order of enumeration.
english translation
"brAhmaNa kSatriya vaizya zUdra sainyAnAM tejaH prAdhAnyAt pUrvaM pUrvaM zreyaH samnAhayitum" ity AcAryAH ॥
hk transliteration by Sanscriptन इति कौटिल्यः ॥
No, says Kautilya.
english translation
na iti kauTilyaH ॥
hk transliteration by Sanscriptप्रणिपातेन ब्राह्मण बलं परो अभिहारयेत् ॥
the enemy may win over to himself the army of Bráhmans by means of prostration.
english translation
praNipAtena brAhmaNa balaM paro abhihArayet ॥
hk transliteration by Sanscriptप्रहरण विद्या विनीतं तु क्षत्रिय बलं श्रेयः, बहुल सारं वा वैश्य शूद्र बलम् इति ॥
Hence, the army of Kshatriyas trained in the art of wielding weapons is better; or the army of Vaisyas or Súdras having great numerical strength (is better).
english translation
praharaNa vidyA vinItaM tu kSatriya balaM zreyaH, bahula sAraM vA vaizya zUdra balam iti ॥
hk transliteration by Sanscriptतस्माद् एवं बलः परः, तस्य एतत् प्रतिबलम् इति बल समुद्दानं कुर्यात् ॥
Hence one should recruit one‟s army, reflecting that "such is the army of my enemy; and this is my army to oppose it."
english translation
tasmAd evaM balaH paraH, tasya etat pratibalam iti bala samuddAnaM kuryAt ॥
hk transliteration by Sanscript