Mahabharata 12.103.26

12.103.26

teṣāṃ sāntvaṃ krūramiśraṃ praṇetavyaṃ punaḥ punaḥ |
saṃpīḍyamānā hi pare yogamāyānti sarvaśaḥ || 26 ||

At the very sight of a (hostile) force, fear paralyses the timid, even as at the sight of the blazing bolt of heaven they ask, 'Oh, upon what would it fall?' Having ascertained that a battle is raging, the limbs of those that go to join it, as also of him that is conquering, perspire profusely. The entire country. O king, (that is the seat of war), becomes agitated and afflicted with all its mobile and immobile population. The very marrow of embodied creatures scorched with the heat of weapons, languishes with pain. A king should, therefore, on all occasions, apply the arts of conciliation, mixing them with measures of severity. When people are afflicted by foes, they always show a disposition to come to terms. Secret agents should be sent for producing disunion amongst the allies of the foe. Having produced disunion, it is very desirable that peace should then be made with that king who happens to be more powerful than the foe (sought to be crushed). If the invader does not proceed in the way, he can never succeed in completely crushing his foe. In dealing with the foe, care should be taken for hemming him in from all sides. Forgiveness always comes to those that are good. It never comes to those that are bad. Listen now, O Partha, to the uses of forgiveness and of severity. The fame of a king who displays forgiveness after conquest spreads more widely.