War in Ancient India c11.t1.56

c11.t1.56

Dāna: The next policy of diplomatic utility was dāna or gift. As we have already seen, Kauṭalya recommends the policy of conciliation and of gifts to inferior kings. The policy of gifts was put into operation if the straight method of conciliation did not produce the intended effect. It is said in the Matsya Purāṇa that even the gods are brought round through gifts of wealth and other presents.⁷⁹ Gifts were often the temptation—this is true largely to-day also—to win over the recalcitrant and the rebellious.