Verse 7.182

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

मार्गशीर्षे शुभे मासि यायाद् यात्रां महीपतिः ।
फाल्गुनं वाथ चैत्रं वा मासौ प्रति यथाबलम् ॥ १८२ ॥

mārgaśīrṣe śubhe māsi yāyād yātrāṃ mahīpatiḥ |
phālgunaṃ vātha caitraṃ vā māsau prati yathābalam || 182 ||

The king shall start on his expedition in the auspicious month of Mārgaśīrṣa, or towards the months of Phalguna and Caitra, according to the condition of his forces.—(182)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

When he is going to undertake an expedition involving a campaign that might be a long one, in consideration of his own forces and also in that of the king against whom he is marching,—he shall march against the hostile kingdom in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, when his forces are fully equipped and when his stores are fully replenished with the autumn-harvest. Starting about this time, he can easily carry with him the autumn-fruits garnered in the house and is cheered by the prospects of the spring-harvest. The time is quite fit for the work of laying siege to fortresses and to forth; and the path also is not beset with deviations and diversion due to the overgrowth of grasses or the over-flowing of risers; and the season is neither too hot nor too cold. At any other time of the year food-grains, even though sufficient, cannot be of sufficiently diverse quality, the season of the three harvests being far off; so that the enemy would be likely to take shelter under a powerful king, which would lead to the unnecessary expenditure of the stock of food-grains of both parties, and the attacking king’s own forces also would become weakened.

If however the king is desirous only of inflicting some injury on the enemy’s territory, or when the expedition is expected to take a short time, and his force is sufficiently strong, then he may start also during the months of Phālguṇa and Caitra, specially against a country which is rich in spring-harvests. At this time of the year also, he can obtain fodder and at the same time inflict an injury upon the other party, by destroying the crops standing in the fields.

‘According to the condition of his forces’;—he should regulate his marches according to the strength of his army.—(182)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 400);—in Vīramitrodaya (Rājanīti, p. 330);—in Smṛtitattva (p. 713); and again on p. 742, to the effect that if the king’s business is urgent, he may proceed on an expedition at any time;—in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Saṃskāra, p. 72b):—and in Rājanītiratnākara (p. 26a).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 7.182-183)

Viṣṇu (3.40).—‘He shall set out on an expedition in the month of Caitra or Mārgaśīrṣa.’

Yājñavalkya (1.347).—‘He shall go out on an expedition at a time when the kingdom of the enemy happens to be full of crops.’

Viṣṇudharmottara (Vīramitrodaya-Rājanīti, p. 331).—‘The king shall go out on an expedition during the month of Caitra or Mārgaśīrṣa.’

Yama (Parāśaramādhava, p. 399).—‘The marching of the army has been recommended during Caitra or Mārgaśīrṣa; as at that time the corns are ripe and there is plenty of water, the weather also is neither too cold nor too hot. Hence the march should he undertaken at that time; or at any time when the enemy is found to he in difficulties.’

Kāmandaka (15.35).—‘The best season for the marching out of elephants is when the sky is overspread with masses of rain-clouds; seasons other than this are suitable for the marching of horses: and the proper season for a military expedition is that which is neither too hot nor too cold, nor rainy nor dry, and when the earth is covered with corn.’