Kautilya's Arthashastra 7.14: Chapter 14 (Section 118): Recoupment of Powers Become Weak

7.14.1

sāmavāyikair evam abhiyukto vijigīṣur yas teṣāṃ pradhānas taṃ brūyāt "tvayā me saṃdhiḥ, idaṃ hiraṇyam, ahaṃ ca mitram, dviguṇā te vṛddhiḥ, nārhasy ātmakṣayeṇa mitramukhān amitrān vardhayitum, ete hi vṛddhās tvām eva paribhaviṣyanti" iti //

WHEN the conqueror is thus attacked by the combined army of his enemies, he may tell their leader: "I shall make peace with you; this is the gold, and I am the friend; your gain is doubled; it is not worthy of you to augment at your own expense the power of your enemies who keep a friendly appearance now; for gaining in power, they will put you down in the long run."

7.14.2

bhedaṃ vā brūyāt "anapakāro yathāham etaiḥ sambhūyābhiyuktas tathā tvām apy ete saṃhitabalāḥ svasthā vyasane vābhiyokṣyante, balaṃ hi cittaṃ vikaroti, tad eṣāṃ vighātaya" iti //

Or he may tell the leader so as to break the combination: "Just as an innocent person like myself is now attacked by the combined army of these kings, so the very same kings in combination will attack you in weal or woe; for power intoxicates the mind; hence break their combination."

7.14.3

bhinneṣu pradhānam upagṛhya hīneṣu vikramayet, hīnān anugrāhya vā pradhāne, yathā vā śreyo 'bhimanyeta tathā //

The combination being broken, he may set the leader against the weak among his enemies; or offering inducements, he may set the combined power of the weak against the leader; or in whatever way be may find it to be conducive to his own prosperity, in that way he may make the leader incur the displeasure of others, and thus frustrate their attempts; or showing the prospect of a larger profit, he may through intrigue, make peace with their leader. Then the recipients of salaries from two states, exhibiting the acquisition of large profits (to the leader), may satirise the kings, saying, "You are all very well combined."

7.14.4

vairaṃ vā parair grāhayitvā visaṃvādayet //

7.14.5

phalabhūyastvena vā pradhānam upajāpya saṃdhiṃ kārayet //

7.14.6

athobhayavetanāḥ phalabhūyastvaṃ darśayantaḥ sāmavāyikān "atisaṃhitāḥ stha" ity udddūṣayeyuḥ //

7.14.7

duṣṭeṣu saṃdhiṃ dūṣayet //

If some of the kings of the combination are wicked, they may be made to break the treaty; then the recipients of salaries from two states may again tell them so as to break the combination entirely: "This is just what we have already pointed out."

7.14.8

athobhayavetanā bhūyo bhedam eṣāṃ kuryuḥ "evaṃ tad yad asmābhir darśitam" iti //

7.14.9

bhinneṣv anyatamopagraheṇa ceṣṭeta //

When the enemies are separated, the conqueror may move forward by catching hold of any of the kings (as an ally).

7.14.10

pradhānābhāve sāmavāyikānām utsāhayitāraṃ sthirakarmāṇam anuraktaprakṛktiṃ lobhād bhayād vā saṃghātam upāgataṃ vijigīṣor bhītaṃ rājyapratisambaddhaṃ mitraṃ calāmitraṃ vā pūrvān uttarābhāve sādhayet - utsāhayitāram ātmanisargeṇa, sthirakarmāṇaṃ sāntvapraṇipātena, anuraktaprakṛtiṃ kanyādānayāpanābhyām, lubdham aṃśadvaiguṇyena,
bhītam ebhyaḥ kośadaṇḍānugraheṇa, svato bhītaṃ viśvāsya pratibhūpradānena, rājyapratisambaddham ekībhāvopagamanena, mitram ubhayataḥ priyahitābhyām, upakāratyāgena vā, calāmitram avadhṛtam anapakāropakārābhyām
//

In the absence of a leader, the conqueror may win him over who is the inciter of the combination; or who is of a resolute mind, or who has endeared himself to his people, or who, from greed or fear, joined the combination, or who is afraid of the conqueror, or whose friendship with the conqueror is based upon some consanguinity of royalty, or who is a friend, or who is a wandering enemy,--in the order of enumeration.

Of these, one has to please the inciter by surrendering oneself; by conciliation and salutation; him who is of a resolute mind; by giving a daughter in marriage or by availing oneself of his youth (to beget a son on one's wife?); him who is the beloved of his people, by giving twice the amount of profits; him who is greedy, by helping with men and money; him who is afraid of the combination, by giving a hostage to him who is naturally timid; by entering into a closer union with him whose friendship is based upon some consanguinity of royalty; by doing what is pleasing and beneficial to both or by abandoning hostilities against him who is a friend; and by offering help and abandoning hostilities against him who is a wandering enemy; one has to win over the confidence of any of the above kings by adopting suitable means or by means of conciliation, gifts, dissension, or threats, as will be explained under "Troubles."

7.14.11

yo vā yathāyogaṃ bhajeta taṃ tathā sādhayet, sāmadānabhedadaṇḍair vā yathāpatsu vyākhyāsyāmaḥ //

7.14.12

vyasanopaghātatvarito vā kośadaṇḍābhyāṃ deśe kāle kārye vāvadhṛtaṃ saṃdhim upeyāt //

He who is in troubles and is apprehensive of an attack from his enemy, should, on the condition of supplying the enemy with army and money, make peace with the enemy on definite terms with reference to place, time, and work; he should also set right any offence he might have given by the violation of a treaty; if he has no supporters, he should find them among his relatives and friends; or he may build an impregnable fortress, for he who is defended by forts and friends will be respected both by his own and his enemy's people.

7.14.13

kṛtasaṃdhir hīnam ātmānaṃ pratikurvīta //

7.14.14

pakṣe hīno bandhumitrapakṣaṃ kurvīta, durgam aviṣahyaṃ vā //

7.14.15

durgamitrapratiṣṭabdho hi sveṣāṃ pareṣāṃ ca pūjyo bhavati //

7.14.16

mantraśaktihīnaḥ prājñapuruṣopacayaṃ vidyāvṛddhasamyogaṃ vā kurvīta //

Whoever is wanting in the power of deliberation should collect wise men around himself, and associate with old men of considerable learning; thus he would attain his desired ends.

7.14.17

tathā hi sadyaḥ śreyaḥ prāpnoti //

7.14.18

prabhāvahīnaḥ prakṛtiyogakṣemasiddhau yateta //

He who is devoid of a good treasury and army should direct his attention towards the strengthening of the safety and security of the elements of his sovereignty; for the country is the source of all those works which are conducive to treasury and army; the haven of the king and of his army is a strong fort.

7.14.19

janapadaḥ sarvakarmaṇāṃ yoniḥ, tataḥ prabhāvaḥ //

7.14.20

tasya sthānam ātmanaś cāpadi durgam //

7.14.21

setubandhaḥ sasyānāṃ yoniḥ //

Irrigational works (setubandha) are the source of crops; the results of a good shower of rain are ever attained in the case of crops below irrigational works.

7.14.22

nityānuṣakto hi varṣaguṇalābhaḥ setuvāpeṣu //

7.14.23

vaṇikpathaḥ parātisaṃdhānasya yoniḥ //

The roads of traffic are a means to overreach an enemy; for it is through the roads of traffic that armies and spies are led (from one country to another); and that weapons, armour, chariots, and draught-animals are purchased; and that entrance and exit (in travelling) are facilitated.

7.14.24

vaṇikpathena hi daṇḍagūḍhapuruṣātinayanaṃ śastrāvaraṇayānavāhanakrayaś ca kriyate, praveśo nirṇayanaṃ ca //

7.14.25

khaniḥ saṃgrāmopakaraṇānāṃ yoniḥ, dravyavanaṃ durgakarmaṇāṃ yānarathayoś ca, hastivanaṃ hastinām, gavāśvakharoṣṭrāṇāṃ ca vrajaḥ //

Mines are the source of whatever is useful in battle.

Timber-forests are the source of such materials as are necessary for building forts, conveyances and chariots.

Elephant-forests are the source of elephants.

Pasture-lands are the source of cows, horses, and camels to draw chariots.

7.14.26

teṣām alābhe bandhumitrakulebhyaḥ samārjanam //

In the absence of such sources of his own, he should acquire them from some one among his relatives and friends. If he is destitute of an army, he should, as far as possible, attract to himself the brave men of corporations, of thieves, of wild tribes, of Mlechchhas, and of spies who are capable of inflicting injuries upon enemies.

7.14.27

utsāhahīnaḥ śreṇīpravīrapuruṣāṇāṃ coragaṇāṭavikamlecchajātīnāṃ parāpakāriṇāṃ gūḍhapuruṣāṇāṃ ca yathālābbham upacayaṃ kurvīta //

7.14.28

paramiśrāpratīkāram ābalīyasaṃ vā pareṣu prayuñjīta //

He should also adopt the policy of a weak king towards powerful king in view of averting danger from enemies or friends.

7.14.29

evaṃ pakṣeṇa mantreṇa dravyeṇa ca balena ca /
sampannaḥ pratinirgacchet parāvagraham ātmanaḥ //E

Thus with the aid of one's own party, the power of deliberation, the treasury, and the army, one should get rid of the clutches of one's enemies.