Chapter 241 - The four means conciliation etc.

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Rāma said:

l. The power of counsel is commended than the power of greatness and enthusiasm. Kāvya (Śukra), the preceptor of demons), possessing greatness and enthusiasm was conquered by the priest of the celestials (Bṛhaspati).

2-4. One should not have a counsel with untrustworthy and foolish persons. How can a scheme that is impossible to begin be made to bear the fruit without toil. A counsel is laid down as of five kinds—knowledge of the unknown, ascertainment of that known (already), removal of doubt relating to an ambiguous matter in politics, (determination) of the right time and place of action and helpful means, and remedial measures against misfortunes.

5. The marks of success in the acts are the cheerfulness of the mind, faith, efficiency of the means, aid and effort.

6. Pride, negligence, lust, prattling in sleep and enjoying pleasures with the beloved women break the secret counsel.

7-13. A person who is bold, having good memory, eloquent well-versed in the (wielding of) weapons and in the sciences, and one accustomed with the work deserves to become a messenger of the king. A messenger is said to be of three types such as one that discharges duty efficiently, one that does moderately and one who just conveys the message. (Each one of the succeeding one) is inferior by a quarter based on the ability (of the respective ones). One should not enter the city of the enemy and his assembly without having (previous) acquaintance. One should abide the right time and should fall upon (the enemy) after knowing (the opportune moment). One should know the weakness of the enemy as well as his treasury, friends and strength. He should also know the likes and dislikes from the looks and gestures (of the enemy). (An enemy) should make four-fold eulogies of both the sides (i.e. the master and the enemy). He should live with good spies having the guise of ascetics. An ambassador would be an open spy. A spy in disguise is of two kinds. Spies would be in the guise of a merchant, agriculturer or mendicant and the like. When the effort of the messenger has become fruitless, the king should attack the distressed enemy. One should take into account the natural calamity (that has befallen the enemy) and fall upon him.

14-24. Because it destroys the good fortune on account of bad policy it is said to be misfortune. Conflagration, water, diseases (epidemics), famine and hell are the five calamities due to divine agency. The rest are due to human agency. The misfortune due to divine agency should be subdued by means of human effort and appeasing rites. The misfortune due to human agency should be removed by means of expedients based on the rightful living. Deliberation, the reaping of the fruits of deliberation, following a course of action for future contingencies, the income and expenditure of the state, enforcing laws, the prevention of (the encroachment by) the enemy, (taking)remedial steps for the calamity and the protection of kingdom and the king are the duties of a minister. Hence one beset with misfortune would ruin kingdom. Gold, grain, clothes and vehicle would be through the subjects. In the same way other things (are got through the subjects). If the subjects are having misfortune (all the above) are destroyed. Citizens of the city etc. help to protect subjects having misfortune as well as the treasury and law if it is sought. (The duties of feudatory chiefs) are to put down disturbance, help the sovereign in war, protection of people and taking note of the allies and foes. A king would perish on account of the fault of the vassals and suffer misfortune. Treasure enables a king to pay his servants, to win him friends and subjects, to aid the purposes of virtue and desire, to attend to the renovation of forts. If that is having misfortune, it would ruin the king. The king is dependent on the treasury. The enforcement of law is a means to create friends and foes, to acquire land and gold, to conquer enemies, to accomplish a work quickly that would take long time. If that is affected it would ruin the king. An ally would collect together allies, destroy the enemy and help him with money etc. If that is affected, that would destroy the king.

25-27. The king having a vice would destroy the affairs of the state. The vices of a king are the use of harsh words, (inflicting) cruel punishment, wasteful spending of revenue, drinking, (excessive enjoyment of the company of) women, hunting and gambling. Idleness, obstinacy, pride, intelligence and duplicity are the defects of a minister as already pointed out. Drought and epidemics etc. are the misfortunes of a country.

28. Shattered machines, walls and ditches not equipped with weapons and possessing a depleted army are the defects of a fort.

29. One nearly drained, not filled regularly, not being accounted, not accumulated, made waste and situated at a far off place are the defects in treasury.

30-33. Being obstructed, scattered, not honoured, disrespected, not existing, afflicted with disease, tired, arrived from a distant place, newly recruited, much reduced, disappointed, repulsed much, abound with hopes and disgust, deceived, having wives, having grievance within, break in the supply of provisions of different kinds, the base being made void, divided by the hostile (king), deprived of a leader and bribed by the hostile king at the rear are said to be the defects of an army.

34. An ally suffering adverse fate, attacked by the enemy forces, having lust, rage etc. and energy would be (considered as) an enemy.

35-41. Lavish spending of money, inflicting harsh words and punishment on account of anger, due to lust, hunting, gambling, drinking and women (are the vices of a king). Harsh words create the estrangement in the world and havoc. Punishment is a means (to achieve) things difficult to accomplish. A king should remove it with care. A king that inflicts punishment and harsh words would agitate the subjects. The agitated subjects resort to the enemy. Multiplication of enemies would be for your destruction. A wasteful expenditure of wealth to a greater extent in order to defile one is said to be extravagance in spending by the learned in political science. By drinking one becomes ignorant, by hunting one gets destroyed by the enemy. One should wander in the forest that is guarded doing hunting in order to remove hardships due to victory. The destruction of virtues, wealth, life and quarrels etc. would be on account of gambling. Delay and affliction to virtue and wealth would result from the defect of association with women. On account of the vice of drinking (there would be) destruction of life, indecision relating to things to be done and not to be done.

42-46. One who knows the (mode of) laying the capital and the opportune moments would conquer the enemy. The dwelling of the king along with the treasury should be in the midst of the royal capital. The artisans, friends, unhostile foresters and the main division of the army should be placed surrounding the royal dwelling. The army should be placed ready at a corner under the lead of the commander. They should roam about the quadrangular points in a circle during the nights. Information relating to one’s self should be known (through spies) moving about the borders (of the country). All should leave and enter the city being noticed, The seven (political) expedients such as conciliation, gift, dissension, punishment indifference, conjuring and deceit should be instituted for accomplishing them.

47-51 Conciliation is of four kinds such as the expression of gratitude, recollection of the relationship between one another, use of soft words and seeing and submission of the self with the words “I yours”, when (the other person) had come. The making of a gift of wealth to one that has come (is of three kinds such as) excellent, medium and inferior. The making of a gift is of five kinds (such as) giving back (the gift), accepting (the gift) received, making a novel gift, accepting a gift by his own choice, giving and returning. Dissension is of three kinds by experts knowing dissension (such as) destroying amity, creating a thrill of fear, inducing dissension between the two. Punishment is of three kinds (such as) killing, confiscating the property, and imposing hardship.

52-53. (Punishment is also of two other kinds such as) public and secret. The public enemies (should be punished) in public. In cases in which the people would get agitated by killing in public, (killing by poisoning) the food is commended. The enemies (of the public should be killed) by employing special black rites or with weapons etc. A member of the brahmin community alone should not be killed even after being under control after conciliation.

54-58. A good person should do conciliation (speaking) sweet words as if besmearing the heart, looking (at the person) as if feasting and taking in his form as if ambrosia. One duped with false hopes, desirous (of getting) wealth, one being invited and insulted, one having contempt for the king, one superseded in honour, one thinking much about his virtue, one whose virtue, desire and riches have been cut off, one that is angry, one having. self-respect, insulted, one rejected without any cause, appeased even though had enmity, one whose wealth and wife have been taken, one deserving to be honoured but not honoured and such men permanently remaining in the enemy camp and are to be suspected should be divided.

59-62. (A king) should honour those that have come (from the enemy side) with presents and pacify those on his own side. Winning affection by conciliatory measures, showing threats, and honouring and buying the allegiance of principal men are stated to be the means for dissension. One having a frustrated ally is ruined like the timber eaten by an insect. (A king) possessing the three kinds of regal power^[1] and one who knows the proper place and time should subjugate his enemies by (means of) force. The ruler of a neighbouring country who is favourably disposed should be pacified in the event of his being befriended by mighty allies. The greedy and poor (should be won) by making a gift. Other friends (should be won by pointing out) danger from others. The wicked (should be won) by threats of punishment and the sons, brothers and others by conciliatory measures. The chieftains of the army, the warriors (and) the heads of provinces (should be controlled), the vassals and foresters by making gifts and (causing) dissension (among themselves). The offenders (should be put down) by (means of) dissension and punishment.

63-68. After having propitiated the images of gods the male should dress as the female and illusions should be made by men such as the forms of goblins, meteors, monsters and vixens, assuming the desired form, showering of weapons, fire, stones and water, (and showing) the divine phenomena such as darkness, wind, fire, and cloud. Bhīma (one of the Pāṇḍavas) killed Kīcaka (son of king of Virāṭa) assuming the form of a woman. It is said to be indifference when one does not dissuade another from unfair battle or plight just as Hiḍimbā (the demoness that married Bhīma) remained indifferent towards his brother (when he was fighting with Bhīma). Indrajāla (stratagem) such as clouds, darkness, rain, fire, mountain, wonders, the banners of a large army causing fright and mirage-like picture of being tom and spread should be shown in order to frighten the enemies.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

These are the supreme position of the king, the strength of a good council and energy.