Verse 7.109

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

सामादीनामुपायानां चतुर्णामपि पण्डिताः ।
सामदण्डौ प्रशंसन्ति नित्यं राष्ट्राभिवृद्धये ॥ १०९ ॥

sāmādīnāmupāyānāṃ caturṇāmapi paṇḍitāḥ |
sāmadaṇḍau praśaṃsanti nityaṃ rāṣṭrābhivṛddhaye || 109 ||

For the prosperity of kingdoms the wise ones always recommend Conciliation and Force from among the four expedients, conciliation and the rest.—(109)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

From among the four expedients, Conciliation and the rest, Conciliation and Force are described as superior. While there is Conciliation, there is no disturbance; and when Force is employed, everything becomes accomplished.—(109)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Rājanīti, p. 279).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Matsya-purāṇa (Vīramitrodaya-Rājanīti, p. 279).—‘Conciliation, dissension, gifts, force, ignoring, guile and magic are the seven expedients. Conciliation is of two kinds—real and unreal; of these the unreal tends only to censure from all good men; the good man is always tractable by conciliation; so also men of noble families, honest men and righteous persons, and those who have control over their senses; towards those the king shall never employ the unreal form of conciliation. Real conciliation consists in describing the noble family and character of the other party, and also the benefits that have been received from him...... Towards the wicked conciliation is to be avoided, as they misunderstand it as arising from fear.’

Agni-purāṇa (Do., p. 280).—‘Conciliation is of four kinds:—describing the benefits conferred by the other party, pointing out the mutual bonds of relationship, sweet speech, and describing future possibilities.’