Verse 7.183

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

अन्येष्वपि तु कालेषु यदा पश्येद् ध्रुवं जयम् ।
तदा यायाद् विगृह्यैव व्यसने चोत्थिते रिपोः ॥ १८३ ॥

anyeṣvapi tu kāleṣu yadā paśyed dhruvaṃ jayam |
tadā yāyād vigṛhyaiva vyasane cotthite ripoḥ || 183 ||

At other times also, if he perceives certain victory, then he shall pick up a quarrel and march forward; also when some trouble has arisen for the enemy.—(183)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

Even apart from the seasons mentioned in the preceding verse, ‘at other times’— during the rains and other seasons also,—if he thinks that his victory is ‘certain’—sure to come—then ‘he shall march forward’—if he has a strong force, during the rains,—has his elephants and horses in full strength, then, by virtue of the strength of his forces, his victory is certain.

‘Trouble’ for the enemy, in connection with his army and treasury &c.; when such trouble has arisen, then he may march against him, even irrespectively of the condition of his own forces; since the army, suffering from its own internal troubles, becomes easily reducible; in fact he perishes, even like a log of wood which perishes by the mere touch of.........(?).

‘He shall pick up a quarrel’;—he must march forward; after having attacked and challenged the enemy he shall advance, when he knows the other party is in great trouble.—(183)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

Cf. Kāmandaka, 11.3.

This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 401);—in Vīramitrodaya (Rājanīti, p. 330), to the effect that the ‘enemy’s difficulty’ being itself laid down as affording the best opportunity for marching against him, there is no room for any other consideration;—and in Smṛtitattva (p. 742) to the same effect.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 7.182-183)

See Comparative notes for Verse 7.182.