Kautilya's Arthashastra 6.2: Chapter 2 (Section 97): Concerning Peace and Activity

6.2.1

śamavyāyāmau yogakṣemayor yoniḥ //

ACQUISITION and security (of property) are dependent upon peace and industry.

6.2.2

karmārambhāṇāṃ yogārādhano vyāyāmaḥ //

Efforts to achieve the results of works undertaken is industry (vyáyáma).

6.2.3

karmaphalopabhogānāṃ kṣemārādhanaḥ śamaḥ //

Absence of disturbance to the enjoyment of the results achieved from works is peace.

6.2.4

śamavyāyāmayor yoniḥ ṣāḍguṇyam //

The application of the six-fold royal policy is the source of peace and industry.

6.2.5

kṣayaḥ sthānaṃ vṛddhir ity udayās tasya //

Deterioration, stagnation, and progress are the three aspects of position.

6.2.6

mānuṣaṃ nayāpanayau, daivam ayānayau //

Those causes of human make which affect position are policy and impolicy (naya and apanaya); fortune and misfortune (aya and anaya) are providential causes. Causes, both human and providential, govern the world and its affairs.

6.2.7

daivamānuṣaṃ hi karma lokaṃ yāpayati //

6.2.8

adṛṣṭakāritaṃ daivam //

What is unforeseen is providential; here, the attainment of that desired end which seemed almost lost is (termed) fortune.

6.2.9

tasminn iṣṭena phalena yogo 'yaḥ, aniṣṭenānayaḥ //

6.2.10

dṛṣṭakāritaṃ mānuṣam //

What is anticipated is human; and the attainment of a desired end as anticipated is (due to policy).

6.2.11

tasmin yogakṣemaniṣpattir nayaḥ, vipattir apanayaḥ //

What produces unfavourable results is impolicy. This can be foreseen; but misfortune due to providence cannot be known.

6.2.12

tac cintyam, acintyaṃ daivam //

6.2.13

rājā ātmadravyaprakṛtisampanno nayasyādhiṣṭhānaṃ vijigīṣuḥ //

The king who, being possessed of good character and best-fitted elements of sovereignty, is the fountain of policy, is termed the conqueror.

6.2.14

tasya samantato maṇḍalībhūtā bhūmyanantarā ariprakṛtiḥ //

The king who is situated anywhere immediately on the circumference of the conqueror's territory is termed the enemy.

6.2.15

tathaiva bhūmyekāntarā mitraprakṛtiḥ //

The king who is likewise situated close to the enemy, but separated from the conqueror only by the enemy, is termed the friend (of the conqueror).

6.2.16

arisampadyuktaḥ sāmantaḥ śatruḥ, vyasanī yātavyaḥ, anapāśrayo durbalāśrayo vocchedanīyaḥ, viparyaye pīḍanīyaḥ karśanīyo vā //

A neighbouring foe of considerable power is styled an enemy; and when he is involved in calamities or has taken himself to evil ways, he becomes assailable; and when he has little or no help, he becomes destructible; otherwise (i.e., when he is provided with some help), he deserves to be harassed or reduced. Such are the aspects of an enemy.

6.2.17

ity ariviśeṣāḥ //

6.2.18

tasmān mitram arimitraṃ mitramitram arimitramitraṃ cānantaryeṇa bhūmīnāṃ prasajyante purastāt, paścāt pārṣṇigrāha ākrandaḥ pārṣṇigrāhāsāra ākrandāsāraḥ //

In front of the conqueror and close to his enemy, there happen to be situated kings such as the conqueror's friend, next to him, the enemy's friend, and next to the last, the conqueror's friend's friend, and next, the enemy's friend's friend.

In the rear of the conqueror, there happen to be situated a rearward enemy ( párshnigráha), a rearward friend (ákranda), an ally of the rearward enemy (párshnigráhásárá), and an ally of the rearward friend (ákrandására).

6.2.19

bhūmyanantaraḥ prakṛtimitraḥ, tulyābhijanaḥ sahajaḥ, viruddho virodhayitā vā kṛtrimaḥ //

That foe who is equally of high birth and occupies a territory close to that of the conqueror is a natural enemy; while he who is merely antagonistic and creates enemies to the conqueror is a factitious enemy.

6.2.20

bhūmyekāntaraṃ prakṛtimitram, mātāpitṛsambaddhaṃ sahajam, dhanajīvitahetor āśritaṃ kṛtrimam //

He whose friendship is derived from father and grandfather, and who is situated close to the territory of the immediate enemy of the conqueror is a natural friend; while he whose friendship is courted for self-maintenance is an acquired friend.

6.2.21

arivijigīṣvor bhūmyanantaraḥ saṃhatāsaṃhatayor anugrahasamartho nigrahe cāsaṃhatayor madhyamaḥ //

The king who occupies a territory close to both the conqueror and his immediate enemy in front and who is capable of helping both the kings, whether united or disunited, or of resisting either of them individually is termed a Madhyama (mediatory) king.

6.2.22

arivijigīṣumadhyānāṃ bahiḥ prakṛtibhyo balavattaraḥ saṃhatāsaṃhatānām arivijigīṣumadhyamānām anugrahasamartho nigrahe cāsaṃhatānām udāsīnaḥ //

He who is situated beyond the territory of any of the above kings and who is very powerful and capable of helping the enemy, the conqueror, and the Madhyama king together or individually, or of resisting any of them individually, is a neutral king (udásína),--these are the (twelve) primary kings.

6.2.23

iti prakṛtayaḥ //

6.2.24

vijigīṣur mitraṃ mitramitraṃ vāsya prakṛtayas tisraḥ //

The conqueror, his friend, and his friend's friend are the three primary kings constituting a circle of states. As each of these three kings possesses the five elements of sovereignty, such as the minister, the country, the fort, the treasury, and the army, a circle of states consists of eighteen elements. Thus, it needs no commentary to understand that the (three) Circles of States having the enemy (of the conqueror), the Madhyama king, or the neutral king at the centre of each of the three circles, are different from that of the conqueror. Thus there are four primary Circles of States, twelve kings, sixty elements of sovereignty, and seventy-two elements of states.

6.2.25

tāḥ pañcabhir amātyajanapadadurgakośadaṇḍaprakṛtibhir ekaikaśaḥ samyuktā maṇḍalam aṣṭādaśakaṃ bhavati //

6.2.26

anena maṇḍalapṛthaktvaṃ vyākhyātam arimadhyamodāsīnānām //

6.2.27

evaṃ caturmaṇḍalasaṃkṣepaḥ //

6.2.28

dvādaśa rājaprakṛtayaḥ ṣaṣṭir dravyaprakṛtayaḥ, saṃkṣepeṇa dvisaptatiḥ //

6.2.29

tāsāṃ yathāsvaṃ sampadaḥ //

Each of the twelve primary kings shall have their elements of sovereignty, power, and end. Strength is power, and happiness is the end.

6.2.30

śaktiḥ siddhiś ca //

6.2.31

balaṃ śaktiḥ //

6.2.32

sukhaṃ siddhiḥ //

6.2.33

śaktis trividhā - jñānabalaṃ mantraśaktiḥ, kośadaṇḍabalaṃ prabhuśaktiḥ, vikramabalam utsāhaśaktiḥ //

Strength is of three kinds: power of deliberation is intellectual strength; the possession of a prosperous treasury and a strong army is the strength of sovereignty; and martial power is physical strength.

6.2.34

evaṃ siddhis trividhaiva - mantraśaktisādhyā mantrasiddhiḥ, prabhuśaktisādhyā prabhusiddhiḥ, utsāhaśaktisādhyā utsāhasiddhiḥ //

The end is also of three kinds: that which is attainable by deliberation is the end of deliberation; that which is attainable by the strength of sovereignty is the end of sovereignty; and that which is to be secured by perseverance is the end of martial power.

6.2.35

tābhir abhyuccito jyāyān bhavati, apacito hīnaḥ, tulyaśaktiḥ samaḥ //

The possession of power and happiness in a greater degree makes a king superior to another; in a less degree, inferior; and in an equal degree, equal. Hence a king shall always endeavor to augment his own power and elevate his happiness.

6.2.36

tasmāt śaktiṃ siddhiṃ ca ghaṭetātmany āveśayitum, sādhāraṇo vā dravyaprakṛtiṣv ānantaryeṇa śaucavaśena vā //

A king who is equal to his enemy in the matter of his sovereign elements shall, in virtue of his own righteous conduct or with the help of those who are hostile or conspiring against his enemy, endeavor to throw his enemy’s power into the shade; or if he thinks:--

6.2.37

dūṣyāmitrābhyāṃ vāpakraṣṭuṃ yateta //

6.2.38

yadi vā paśyet "amitro me śaktiyukto vāgdaṇḍapāruṣyārthadūṣaṇaiḥ prakṛtīr upahaniṣyati, siddhiyukto vā mṛgayādyūtamadyastrībhiḥ pramādaṃ gamiṣyati, sa viraktaprakṛtir upakṣīṇaḥ pramatto vā sādhyo me bhaviṣyati, vigrahābhiyukto vā sarvasaṃdohenaikastho 'durgastho vā sthāsyati, sa saṃhatasainyo mitradurgaviyuktaḥ sādhyo me bhaviṣyati,
"balavān vā rājā parataḥ śatrum ucchettukāmaḥ tam ucchidya mām ucchindyād" iti balavatā prārthitasya me vipannakarmārambhasya vā sāhāyyaṃ dāsyati", madhyamalipsāyāṃ ca, ity evaṃādiṣu kāraṇeṣv amitrasyāpi śaktiṃ
siddhiṃ cecchet //

"That my enemy, possessed as he is of immense power, will yet in the near future, hurt the elements of his own sovereignty, by using contumelious language, by inflicting severe punishments, and by squandering his wealth; that though attaining success for a time yet he will blindly take himself to hunting, gambling, drinking and women; that as his subjects are disaffected, himself powerless and haughty, I can overthrow him; that when attacked, he will take shelter with all his paraphernalia into a fort or elsewhere; that possessed as he is of a strong army, he will yet fall into my hands, as he has neither a friend nor a fort to help him; that a distant king is desirous to put down his own enemy, and also inclined to help me to put down my own assailable enemy when my resources are poor; or that I may be invited as a Madhyama king,"--for these reasons the conqueror may allow his enemy to grow in strength and to attain success for the time being.

6.2.39

nemim ekāntarān rājñaḥ kṛtvā cānantarān arān /
nābhim ātmānam āyacchen netā prakṛtimaṇḍale //

Throwing the circumference of the Circle of States beyond his friend's territory, and making the kings of those states as the spokes of that circle, the conqueror shall make himself as the nave of that circle.

6.2.40

madhye hy upahitaḥ śatrur netur mitrasya cobhayoḥ /
ucchedyaḥ pīḍanīyo vā balavān api jāyate //E

A reducible or a conquerable enemy will, when placed between a conqueror and the conqueror's friend, appear to be growing in strength.