Chapter 15 - Measures Conducive to Peace

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Summary: Measures Conducive to Peace with a Strong and Provoked Enemy; and the Attitude of a Conquered Enemy.

When a weak king is attacked by a powerful enemy, the former should seek the protection of one who is superior to his enemy, and whom his enemy’s power of deliberation For intrigue cannot affect. Of kings who are equal in the power of deliberation, difference should be sought in unchangeable prosperity and in association with the aged.

In the absence of a superior king, he should combine with a number of his equals who are equal in power to his enemy and whom his enemy’s power of purse, army, and intrigue cannot reach. Of kings who are equally possessed of the power of purse, army, and intrigue, difference should be sought in their capacity for making vast preparations.

In the absence of equals, he should combine with a number of inferior kings who are pure and enthusiastic, who can oppose the enemy, and whom his enemy’s power of purse, army, and intrigue cannot reach. Of kings who are equally possessed of enthusiasm and capacity for action, difference should be sought in the opportunity of securing favourable battlefields. Of kings who are equally possessed of favourable battlefields, difference should be sought in their ever being ready for war. Of kings who are equally possessed of favourable battlefields and who are equally ready for war, difference should be sought in their possession of weapons and armour necessary for war.

In the absence of any such help, he should seek shelter inside a fort in which his enemy with a large army can offer no obstruction to the supply of foodstuff, grass, firewood and water, but would sustain a heavy loss of men and money. When there are many forts, difference should be sought in their affording facility for the collection of stores and supplies. Kauṭilya is of opinion that, one should entrench oneself in a fort inhabited by men and provided with stores and supplies. Also, for the following reasons, one should shelter oneself in such a fort:

“I shall oppose him (the enemy) with his rear-enemy’s ally or a Madhyama king, or with a neutral king, I shall either capture or devastate his kingdom with the aid of a neighbouring king, a wild tribe, a scion of his family, or an imprisoned prince; by the help of my partisans with him, I shall create troubles in his fort, country or camp; when he is near, I shall murder him with weapons, fire, or poison, or any other secret means at my pleasure; I shall cause him to sustain a heavy loss of men and money in works undertaken by himself or made to be undertaken at the instance of my spies; I shall easily sow the seeds of dissension among his friends or his army when they have suffered from loss of men and money; I shall catch hold of his camp by cutting off supplies and stores going to it; or by surrendering myself (to him), I shall create some weak points in him and put him down with all my resources; or having curbed his spirit, I shall compel him to make peace with me on my own terms; when I obstruct his movements troubles arise to him from all sides; when he is helpless, I shall slay him with the help of my hereditary army or with his enemy’s army, or with wild tribes; I shall maintain the safety and security of my vast country by entrenching myself within my fort; the army of myself and of my friends will be invincible when collected together in this fort; my army, which is trained to fight from valleys, pits, or at night, will bring him into difficulties on his way, when he is engaged in an immediate work; owing to loss of men and money, he will make himself powerless when he arrives here at a bad place and in a bad time; owing to the existence of forts and of wild tribes (on the way), he will find this country accessible only at considerable cost of men and money; being unable to find positions favourable for the exercise of the armies of himself and of his friends, suffering from disease, he will arrive here in distress; or having arrived here, he will not return.”

In the absence of such circumstances, or when the enemy’s army is very strong, one may run away abandoning one’s fort.

My teacher says that one may rush against the enemy like a moth against a flame; success in one way or other (i.e. death or victory) is certain for one who is reckless of life.

No, says Kauṭilya, having observed the conditions conducive to peace between himself and his enemy, he may make peace; in the absence of such conditions, he may, by taking recourse to threats, secure peace or a friend; or he may send a messenger to one who is likely to accept peace; or having pleased with wealth and honour the messenger sent by his enemy, he may tell the latter: “This is the king’s manufactory; this is the residence of the queen and the prince; myself and this kingdom are at your disposal, as approved of by the queen and the princes.”

Having secured his enemy’s protection, he should behave himself like a servant to his master by serving the protector’s occasional needs. Forts and other defensive works, acquisition of things, celebration of marriages, installation of the heir-apparent, trade in horses, capture of elephants, construction of covert places for battle (sattra), marching against an enemy, and holding sports—all these he should undertake only at the permission of his protector. He should also obtain his protector’s permission before making any agreement with people settled in his country or before punishing those who may run away from country. If the citizens and country people living in his kingdom prove disloyal or inimical to him, he may request of his protector another good country; or he may get rid of wicked people by making use of such secret means as are employed against traitors. He should not accept the offer of a good country even from a friend. Unknown to his protector, he may see the protector’s minister, high priest, commander of the army or heir-apparent. He should also help his protector as much as he can. On all occasions of worshipping gods and making prayers, he should cause his people to pray for the long life of his protector; and he should always proclaim his readiness to place himself at the disposal of his protector.

* Serving him who is strong and combined with others, and being far away from the society of suspected persons, a conquered king should thus always behave himself towards his protector.

[Thus ends Chapter XV, “Measures Conducive to Peace with a Strong and Provoked Enemy, and the Attitude of a Conquered Enemy,” in Book VII, “The End of the Six-fold Policy” of the Arthaśāstra of Kauṭilya. End of the hundred and thirteenth chapter from the beginning.]