Arthashastra

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ज्यायसा ह्य् अवगृहीतश् चरति, समाभ्याम् अतिसंधान आधिक्ये वा ॥

for, if combined with a king of superior power, the ally appears to move, caught hold of, by his superior, whereas in marching with two kings of equal power, the same will be the result, only, when those two kings are experts in the art of intrigue; besides it is easy to separate them.

english translation

jyAyasA hy avagRhItaz carati, samAbhyAm atisaMdhAna Adhikye vA ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

तौ हि सुखौ भेदयितुम्, दुष्टश् च एको द्वाभ्यां नियन्तुं भेद उपग्रहं च उपगन्तुम् इति ॥

and when one of them is wicked, he can be put down by the other two and made to suffer the consequence of dissension. Combined with one of equal power or with two of lesser power, should a king march against his enemy?

english translation

tau hi sukhau bhedayitum, duSTaz ca eko dvAbhyAM niyantuM bheda upagrahaM ca upagantum iti ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

समेन एकेन द्वाभ्यां हीनाभ्यां वा इति द्वाभ्यां हीनाभ्यां श्रेयः ॥

Better to march with two kings of lesser power; for the conqueror can depute them to carry out any two different works and keep them under his control.

english translation

samena ekena dvAbhyAM hInAbhyAM vA iti dvAbhyAM hInAbhyAM zreyaH ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

तौ हि द्वि कार्य साधकौ वश्यौ च भवतः ॥

When the desired end is achieved, the inferior king will quietly retire after the satisfaction of his superior.

english translation

tau hi dvi kArya sAdhakau vazyau ca bhavataH ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript

कार्य सिद्धौ तु कृत अर्थाज् ज्यायसो गूढः स अपदेशम् अपस्रवेत् । अशुचेः शुचि वृत्तात् तु प्रतीक्षेत आ विसर्जनात् ॥

Till his discharge, the good conduct of an ally of usually bad character should be closely scrutinised either by suddenly coming out at a critical time from a covert position (sattra) to examine his conduct, or by having his wife as a pledge for his good conduct.

english translation

kArya siddhau tu kRta arthAj jyAyaso gUDhaH sa apadezam apasravet । azuceH zuci vRttAt tu pratIkSeta A visarjanAt ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript