Chapter 13 of the Arthashastra, Durgalambhanam — “Strategic Means to Capture a Fortress” — distills Kautilya’s hard-headed repertoire for overcoming fortified places. Rooted in Mauryan-era statecraft, it catalogs engineering, intelligence and moral tactics: sieges, blockades, mining and fire, cutting water and supplies, suborning garrisons, bribery, deception, and negotiated surrender. The chapter fuses practical logistics, spycraft and psychological warfare with civil measures to win without wasteful slaughter. Its key themes are preparation, intelligence-led action, economy of force and political prudence. Today Durgalambhanam still resonates—informing military siegecraft, crisis management, infrastructure security and even competitive strategy—reminding modern leaders that information, logistics and cunning often trump brute force.