The Political Institutions and Theories of the Hindus: A Study in Comparative Politics c16.s2.t1.45

c16.s2.t1.45

These four states, then, constitute the smallest unit of international grouping. From the standpoint of the *vijigîṣu* all other states are either his own allies or the allies of his enemy. Such states are held to be eight in number according to the hypothesis. How, now, is the "aspirant" to pick up his own allies from the crowd? He need only study the geographical position of these states with reference to the belligerents, i. e., to himself and to his enemy.