अप्युपायैस्त्रिभिस्तात योऽर्थः प्राप्तुं न शक्यते। तस्य विक्रमकालांस्तान्युक्तानाहुर्मनीषिणः॥ प्रमत्तेष्वभियुक्तेषु दैवेन प्रहतेषु च। विक्रमास्तात सिद्ध्यन्ति परीक्ष्य विधिना कृताः॥
apyupāyaistribhistāta yo'rthaḥ prāptuṃ na śakyate| tasya vikramakālāṃstānyuktānāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ|| pramatteṣvabhiyukteṣu daivena prahateṣu ca| vikramāstāta siddhyanti parīkṣya vidhinā kṛtāḥ||
English Meaning
The wise have asserted that an appeal to prowess should be resorted to anent a business then only when the end sought cannot be attained through the three (other) means. Prowess produce fruit only in respect of welladvised action directed while carefully watching (enemies) that are negligent, or captive, or under Divine affliction.
— M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)