Arthashastra

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सामवायिकैर् एवम् अभियुक्तो विजिगीषुर् यस् तेषां प्रधानस् तं ब्रूयात् "त्वया मे संधिः, इदं हिरण्यम्, अहं च मित्रम्, द्वि गुणा ते वृद्धिः, न अर्हस्य् आत्म क्षयेण मित्र मुखान् अमित्रान् वर्धयितुम्, एते हि वृद्धास् त्वाम् एव परिभविष्यन्ति" इति ॥

WHEN the conqueror is thus attacked by the combined army of his enemies, he may tell their leader: "I shall make peace with you; this is the gold, and I am the friend; your gain is doubled; it is not worthy of you to augment at your own expense the power of your enemies who keep a friendly appearance now; for gaining in power, they will put you down in the long run."

english translation

sAmavAyikair evam abhiyukto vijigISur yas teSAM pradhAnas taM brUyAt "tvayA me saMdhiH, idaM hiraNyam, ahaM ca mitram, dvi guNA te vRddhiH, na arhasy Atma kSayeNa mitra mukhAn amitrAn vardhayitum, ete hi vRddhAs tvAm eva paribhaviSyanti" iti ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

भेदं वा ब्रूयात् "अनपकारो यथा अहम् एतैः सम्भूय अभियुक्तस् तथा त्वाम् अप्य् एते संहित बलाः स्वस्था व्यसने वा अभियोक्ष्यन्ते, बलं हि चित्तं विकरोति, तद् एषां विघातय" इति ॥

Or he may tell the leader so as to break the combination: "Just as an innocent person like myself is now attacked by the combined army of these kings, so the very same kings in combination will attack you in weal or woe; for power intoxicates the mind; hence break their combination."

english translation

bhedaM vA brUyAt "anapakAro yathA aham etaiH sambhUya abhiyuktas tathA tvAm apy ete saMhita balAH svasthA vyasane vA abhiyokSyante, balaM hi cittaM vikaroti, tad eSAM vighAtaya" iti ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

भिन्नेषु प्रधानम् उपगृह्य हीनेषु विक्रमयेत्, हीनान् अनुग्राह्य वा प्रधाने, यथा वा श्रेयो अभिमन्येत तथा ॥

The combination being broken, he may set the leader against the weak among his enemies; or offering inducements, he may set the combined power of the weak against the leader; or in whatever way be may find it to be conducive to his own prosperity.

english translation

bhinneSu pradhAnam upagRhya hIneSu vikramayet, hInAn anugrAhya vA pradhAne, yathA vA zreyo abhimanyeta tathA ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

वैरं वा परैर् ग्राहयित्वा विसंवादयेत् ॥

in that way he may make the leader incur the displeasure of others, and thus frustrate their attempts.

english translation

vairaM vA parair grAhayitvA visaMvAdayet ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

फल भूयस्त्वेन वा प्रधानम् उपजाप्य संधिं कारयेत् ॥

or showing the prospect of a larger profit, he may through intrigue, make peace with their leader.

english translation

phala bhUyastvena vA pradhAnam upajApya saMdhiM kArayet ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript