War in Ancient India c11.t1.9

c11.t1.9

Dr. Nag takes mitra and hiraṇyasandhis as one and hence he considers paripaṇitāparipaṇitāpasṛṣṭisandhi as the fourth. But we take mitra and hiraṇyasandhi as two different agreements. The term paripaṇitāparipaṇitāpasṛṣṭisandhi is thus explained. An agreement entered into in mutual faith is definite (paripaṇita), and the others are indefinite (aparipaṇita). We need not enter into the details of each of these. It is enough to say that they were deemed mutually advantageous and profitable in the long run. But it is a deceitful alliance (atisandhi) when one has the opportunity to overreach the other, whether equal (sama) or unequal (viṣama).