Mandalayoni — "The Source of Sovereign States" — is the sixth section of the Arthashastra, the classic Sanskrit treatise on statecraft ascribed to Kautilya (Chanakya), c. 4th–3rd century BCE. It probes how polities originate, persist and vie for dominance, outlining a mandala of neighboring powers, shifting alliances and rivalry. Key themes include the concentric‑circle theory of foreign relations, pragmatic policies (sama, dana, bheda, danda), intelligence, internal administration and strategies for expansion and survival. Written for rulers, its unsentimental analysis of balance, opportunism and state security still speaks to modern geopolitics, offering enduring insights into alliance-making, power projection and the art of resilient governance.