Chapter 5 - Troubles of the Army and Troubles of a Friend

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Summary: The Group of Troubles of the Army, and the Group of Troubles of a Friend.

The troubles of the army are: that which is disrespected; that which is mortified; that which is not paid for; that which is diseased; that which has freshly arrived; that which has made a long journey; that which is tired; that which has sustained loss; that which has been repelled; that of which the front portion is destroyed; that which is suffering from inclemency of weather; that which has found itself in an unsuitable ground; that which is displeased from disappointment; that which has run away; that of which the men are fond of their wives; that which contains traitors; that of which the prime portion is provoked; that which has dissensions; that which has come from a foreign state; that which has served in many states; that which is specially trained to a particular kind of manoeuvre and encampment; that which is trained to a particular movement in a particular place; that which is obstructed; that which is surrounded; that which has its supply of grains cut off; that which has its men and stores cut off; that which is kept in one’s own country; that which is under the protection of an ally; that which contains inimical persons; that which is afraid of an enemy in the rear; that which has lost its communication; that which has lost its commander; that which has lost its leader; and that which is blind (i.e. untrained).

Of the disrespected and the mortified among these, that which is disespected may be taken to fight after being honoured, but not that which is suffering from its own mortification.

Of unpaid and diseased armies, the unpaid may be taken to fight after making full payment, but not the diseased, which is unfit for work.

Of freshly arrived and long-travelled armies, that which has arrived may be taken to fight after it has taken its

position without mingling with any other new army; but not that which is tired from its long journey.

Of tired and reduced armies, the army that is tired may be taken to fight after it has refreshed itself by bathing, eating, and sleeping, but not the reduced army, i. e. the army the leaders of which have been killed.

Of armies which have either been repelled or have their front destroyed, that which has been repelled may be taken to fight together with fresh men attached to it, but not the army which has lost many of its brave men in its frontal attack.

Of armies, either suffering from inclemency of weather or driven to an unsuitable ground, that which is suffering from inclemency of weather may be taken to fight, after providing it with weapons and dress appropriate for the season, but not the army on an unfavourable ground obstructing its movements.

Of disappointed and renegade armies, that which is disappointed may be taken to fight after satisfying it, but not the army which has (once) run away.

Of soldiers who are either fond of their wives or are under an enemy, those who are fond of their wives may be taken to fight after separating them from their wives, but not those who are under an enemy, and are, therefore, like internal enemies.

Of provoked and disunited armies, that, of which a part is provoked, may be taken to fight after pacifying it by conciliation and other strategic means, but not the disunited army the members of which are estranged from each other.

Of armies which have left service either in one state or in many states, that whose resignation of service in a foreign state is not due to instigation or conspiracy may be taken to fight under the leadership of spies and friends, but not the army which has resigned its service in many states and is, therefore, dangerous.

Of armies which are trained either to a particular kind of manoeuvre and encampment or to a particular movement in a particular place, that which is taught a special kind of manoeuvre and encampment may be taken to fight, but not the army whose way of making encampments and marches is only suited for a particular place.

Of obstructed and surrounded armies, that which is prevented from its movements in one direction may be taken to fight against the obstructor in another direction, but not the army whose movements are obstructed on all sides.

Of troops whose supply of grain is cut off or whose supply of men and stores is cut off, that which has lost its supply of grain may be taken to fight after providing it with grain brought from another quarter or after supplying to it movable and immovable foodstuffs (animal and vegetable foodstuffs), but not the army to which men and provisions cannot be supplied.

Of armies kept in one’s own country or under the protection of an ally, that which is kept in one’s own country can possibly be disbanded in time of danger, but not the army under the protection of an ally, as it is far removed in place and time.

Of armies either filled with traitors, or frightened by an enemy in the rear, that which is full of traitors may be taken to fight apart under the leadership of a trusted commander, but not the army which is afraid of an attack from the rear.

Of armies without communication or without leaders, that which has lost its communication with the base of operations may be taken to fight, after restoring the communication and placing it under the protection of citizens and country people, but not the army which is without a leader such as the king or any other persons.

Of troops which have lost their leader or which are not trained, those that have lost their leader may be taken to fight under the leadership of a different person, but not the troops which are not trained.

* Removal of vices and troubles, recruitment (of new men), keeping away from places of an enemy’s ambush, and harmony among the officers of the army, are the means of protecting the army from troubles.

* He (the king) should ever carefully guard his army from the troubles caused by an enemy, and should ever be ready to strike his enemy’s army when the latter is under troubles;

* whatever he may come to know as the source of trouble to his people, he should quickly and carefully apply antidotes against that cause.

* A friend who, by himself, or in combination with others or under the influence of another king, has marched against his own ally, a friend who is abandoned owing to inability to retain his friendship, or owing to greediness or indifference;

* a friend who is bought by another and who has withdrawn himself from fighting;

* a friend who, following the policy of making peace with one and marching against another, has contracted friendship with one, who is going to march either singly or in combination with others against an ally;

* a friend who is not relieved from his troubles owing to fear, contempt, or indifference; a friend who is surrounded in his own place or who has run away owing to fear;

* a friend who is displeased owing to his having to pay much, or owing to his not having received his due, or owing to his dissatisfaction even after the receipt of his due;

* a friend who has voluntarily paid much or who is made by another to pay much (to his ally); a friend who is kept under pressure, or who, having broken the bond of friendship, sought friendship with another;

* a friend who is neglected owing to inability to retain his friendship; and a friend who has become an enemy in spite of his ally’s entreaties to the contrary—such friends are hardly acquired; and if acquired at all, they turn away.

* A friend who has realised the responsibilities of friendship, or who is honourable; or whose disappointment is due to want of information, or who, though excited, is unequal (to the task), or who is made to turn back owing to fear from another;

* or who is frightened at the destruction of another friend, or who is apprehensive of danger from the combination of enemies, or who is made by traitors to give up this friendship—it is possible to acquire such a friend; and if acquired, he keeps up his friendship.

* Hence one should not give rise to those causes which are destructive of friendship; and when they arise, one should get rid of them by adopting such friendly attitude as can remove those causes.

[Thus ends Chapter V, “The Group of Troubles of the Army, and the Group of Troubles of a Friend,” in Book VIII, “Concerning Vices and Calamities” of the Arthaśāstra of Kauṭilya. End of the hundred and twenty-first chapter from the beginning.

With this ends the Eighth Book, “Concerning Vices and Calamities” of the Arthaśāstra of Kauṭilya.]