Sandhi (treaty) (Introduction)

Introduction:

It is also said—

1. “āśutarā me bṛddhirbhūyastarā vṛddhayudayatarā vā bhaviṣyati, viparītāparasya” iti
jñātvā paravṛddhimupekṣeta | tulyakālaphalodayāyāṃ vā vṛddhau sandhimupeyāt” | 7.1.22-23)^[1]

“Perceiving My advancement will be quicker or greater or leading to a greater advancement in the future, the reverse (will be) that of the enemy’, he should remain indifferent to the enemy’s advancement. In case the advancement takes the same time or bears an equal fruit (for both), he should make peace.”^[2]

And,

“yasminvā guṇe sthitaḥ svakarmaṇāmupaghātaṃ paśyennetarasya tasmin na tiṣṭhed, eṣa kṣayaḥ |” (7.1.24-25)117

“He should not follow that policy by resorting to which he were be see the ruin of his own undertakings, not of (those of) the other (party). This is decline.”^[3]

2. ‘ciratareṇālpataraṃ vṛddhyudayataraṃ vā kṣeṣye,viparītaṃ paraḥ’ iti jñātvā kṣayamupekṣeta | tulyakālaphalodaye vā kṣaye sandhimupeyāt |’ (7.1.26-27)^[4]

“Perceiving ‘I shall decline after a longer time or to a lesser extent or in such a way that I shall make a greater advancement, the enemy (will decline) in the reverse manner’, he should remain indifferent to his decline. In case the decline lasts for the same period or leads to equal results (for both), he should make peace”.^[5]

“yasminvā guṇe sthitaḥ svakarmavṛrddhiṃ kṣayaṃ vā nābhipaśyeta, etatsthanam |” (1.7.28)^[6]

“The policy, following which he were to see neither the advancement nor the decline of his own undertakings, constitutes stable condition”.^[7]

‘hrasvataraṃ vṛddhayudayataraṃ vā sthasyāmi, viparītaṃ paraḥ iti jñātvā sthanamupekṣeta | “tulyakālaphalodaye vā sthane sandhimupeyād” ityacāryāḥ | naitadvibhāṣitamiti kauṭilyaḥ” (7.1.29-31)^[8]

“Perceiving ‘I shall remain stable for a shorter period or in such a way that I shall make a greater advancement, the enemy (will do so) in the opposite way’, he should remain indifferent to his stable condition. In case the stable condition lasts for the same period or leads to equal consequences (for both), he should make peace’, say the teachers. This is not disputed, says Kauṭilya”.^[9]

Kauṭilya said about this in details. Beside this the king should establish his success by making peace.

In which condition the king should make peace, Kauṭilya discussed about this terms and conditions. According to him (Kauṭilya).

“yadi vā paśyetsandhau sthito mahāphalaiḥ svakarmabhiḥ parakarmāṇyupahaniṣyāmi;” | (7.1.32)125

“If he were to see ‘Remaining at peace, I shall ruin the enemy’s undertakings by my own undertakings bearing abundant fruits.”^[10]

It means, if the king realise that, he will ruin the produced eminent things of the enemy’s state sending the same eminent things then he will make peace.

“mahāphalāni vā svakarmānyupabhokṣye, parakarmāṇi vā;” (7.1.32)127

“Or I shall enjoy my own undertakings bearing abundaut fruits or the undertakings of the enemy”.^[11]

That means, the king realise if he makes peace then he will enjoy his own undertakings bearing abundant fruits or the under takings of the enemy.

If the enemy’s own undertakings bearing abundant fruits then the king also enjoy that, then he will make peace.

3. “sandhi—viśvāsena, vā yogopaniṣatpraṇidhibhiḥ parakarmāṇyupahaniṣyāmi;” (7.1.32)^[12]

Or by creating confidence by means of the peace, I shall ruin the enemy’s undertakings by the employment of secret remedies and occult practices.”^[13]

That means, the king will creat trust of enemy king by making peace. Then if he realises that taking this advantage, appointing tīkṣṇa. etc. spy and applying poison, fire and poluting the drinking water he will ruin the helpfull activities.

Then he will make peace.

4. “sukhaṃ vā sātugrahaparihārasaukaryaṃ phalalābhabhūyastvena svakarmaṇāṃ parakarmayogāvahaṃ janamāsrāvayiṣyāmi” | (7.1.32)^[14]

“Or I shall easily entice away the persons capable of carrying out the enemy’s undertakings by (offering) a creater remuneration from my own undertakings, with facilities of favours and exemptions.”^[15]

It means, if the king realises that making “sandhi” he will be able to favour the enemy’s people who are skillful to cultivating land etc. duty, he will promise that he will give them seeds and make free them from tax. He will promise also if they join to his cultivating land, then they will get more facility than the enemy king. Giving this opportunity, he will attract them.

Then the vijigīṣu king will make sandhi.

5. “valinā'timātreṇa vā saṃhitaḥ paraḥ svakarmopaghātaṃ prāpsyati;” | 7.1.32)133

“Or the enemy, in alliance with an extremely strong king, will suffer the ruin of his own undertakings;”^[16]

It means if the rich and strong enemy king of the vijigīṣu king will be involved in fight and makes sandhi with the contract of supplying money then he gradually becomes poor and makes harm of his work then the vijigīṣu king will make sandhi.

6. “yena vā vigṛhīto mayā saṃdhatte tenāsya vigrahaṃ dīrghaṃ kariṣyāmi;” | 7.1.32)135

“Or, I shall keep prolonged his war with the king, being at war with whom he is making peace with me.”^[17]

It means, which enemy of vijigīṣu king was persecuted by engaging him in war with his enemy, if the vijigīṣu king realises that then he will continue fighting in between both of them, and in this situation he will make sandhi.

7. “mayā vā saṃhitasya maddveṣiṇo janapadaṃ pīḍayiṣyati;” | 7.1.32)137

“Or he will harass the country of the king who is in alliance with me (but is) hostile to me”.^[18]

It means, making peace one of the vijigīṣu king’s enemy king himself will harass the state of a king, who envyed to the vijigīṣu king. If the vijigīṣu king realises that then he will make sandhi.

8. “paropahato vā'sya janapado māmāgamiṣyati, tataḥ karmasu vṛddhiṃ prāpsyāmi;” | (7.1.32)139

“Or his country, laid waste by his enemy, will come to me, So that I shall achieve advancement in my undertakings.^[19]

It means, if the vijigīṣu king realises that, being harassed by the enemy king of vijigīṣu king the envious will make sandhi with him. As a result the vijigīṣu king will achieve the envious’s state and he will increase the functions of his fort etc. Then he will make sandhi.”

9. “vipannakarmārambho vā viṣamasthaḥ paraḥ karmasu na me vikrameta;” | 7.1.32)141

“Or the enemy, with his undertakings ruined (and himself) placed in a difficult situation, would not attack my undertakings.”^[20]

10. “parataḥ pravṛttakarmārambho vā tābhyāṃ saṃhitaḥ karmasu vṛddhiṃ prāpsyāmi” | (7.1.32)^[21]

“Or with my undertakings started elsewhere, I shall achieve advancement in my undertakings, being in alliance with both.”^[22]

It means, if the vijigīṣu king realises that at the time of making fort etc. work the enemy king of vijigīṣu king will not attack the construction of his fort etc. At the time of crutial situation when the enemy king set about in his own work with the help of another enemy of vijigīṣu king, even then he will not attack to the construction work of the fort etc. of vijigīṣu king.

Then he (vijigīṣu king) will increase fort etc. all of his work easily by making sandhi with both of his enemy kings.

11. “śatruprativaddhaṃ vā śatruṇā sandhiṃ kṛtvā maṇḍalaṃ bheta syāmi;” |

12. “bhinnamavāpsyāmi; |” (7.1.32)^[23]

“Or by making peace with the enemy I shall divide from him the circle (of kings) which is attached to the enemy, (and) when divided. I shall secure it (for myself).”^[24]

It means, making sandhi with his enemy if the vijigīṣu king will be able to seperate the united group of kings from him then he will make sandhi and will bring under control for himself then he will make sandhi.

13. “daṇḍānugraheṇa vā śatrumupagṛhya maṇḍalalipsāyāṃ vidveṣaṃ grāhayiṣyāmi;” |

14. “vidviṣṭaṃ tenaiva ghātayiṣyāmi’ iti sandhinā vṛddhimātiṣṭheta |” (7.1.32)^[25]

“Or, by giving support to the enemy by favouring him with troops when he seeks to seize the circle, I shall create hostility towards him, (and) when he faces hostility I shall get him destroyed by that same (circle)’, he should secure advancement through peace”.^[26]

It means, if the enemy of the vijigīṣu king envies to the group of kings then the vijigīṣu king will destroy his enemy (king) with the help of the kings who are in the group of kings. If the vijigīṣu king realises this then he will make sandhi and will increase his all undertakings.

Vijigīṣu king should apply sixfold policy according to his power.

“vijigīṣuḥ śaktyapekṣaḥ ṣāṅguṇyamupayuñjīta | samajyāyobhyāṃ sandhīyeta | hīnena vigṛhnīyāt | vigṛhīto hi jyāyasā hastinā pādayuddhamivābhyupaiti | samena cāmaṃ pātramāmenāhatamivobhayataḥ kṣayaṃ karoti | kumbhenevāśmā hīnenaikāntasiddhimavāpnoti | ”(7.3.1.-5)149

“The conqueror should employ the six measures of policy with due regard to his power. He should make peace with the equal and the stronger, he should make war with the weaker. For, going to war with the stronger, he engages as it were in a fight on foot with an elephant. And (at war) with the equeal, he brings about loss on both sides, like an unbaked jar struck by an unbaked jar. (At war) with the weaker, he attains absolute success, like a stone with an earthen vessel.”^[27]

According to the opinion of Shyamashastri:

1. Whoever goes to wage war with a superior king, will be reduced to the same condition as that of a foot soldier opposing an elephant.

2. Just as the collision of an unbreaked mud-vessel with a similar vessel is destructive to both, so war with an equal king bring ruin to both.

3. Like a stone striking an earthen pot a superior king attains decisive victory over an inferior king.”

(As it is seen in the Arthasastra of Kauṭilya edited by Manabendu Bandyopadhaya, Part-II, pp. 206-207)

Beside this—

“sandhivigrahayostulyāyāṃ vṛddhau sandhimupeyāt | vigrahe hi kṣayavyayapravāsapratyavāyā bhavanti” | (7.2.1-2)^[28]

“If there is equal advancement in peace or war, he should resort to peace. For, in war there are losses, expenses, marches away from home and hindrances.”^[29]

It means, if the vijigīṣu king realises that by sandhi or vigraha (war) he gets the increasing successe i.e. attainment of the desired result, then he will obviously make sandhi not vigraha. Because in war losses (loss of living beings, gradual bungling, little income but much expenditure) expenses (consumption of wealth and corn) staying abroad (starting to a foreign land and living abroad etc), detriment (giving poison, poisoning of water by the spies of enemy) etc. troubles will happen.

“hīnaścet sarvatrānupraṇatastiṣṭhet, sandhimupeyāt | āravdho'gniriva hi duḥkhāmarṣajaṃ tejo vikramayati | maṇḍalasya cānugrāhyayo bhavati” | (7.3.10-12)^[30]

“If the weaker were to remain submissive in all respects, he should make peace with him. For, heroism born of grief and resentment makes one fight bravely like a forest fire. And he becomes the object of favour of the circle (of kings)”.^[31]

It means, vijigīṣu king should not make sandhi with the weaker kings. In some cases sandhi may be possible. If the weaker king remains submissive in all respects then the vijigīṣu king will make sandhi with him. For heroism born of grief and resentment makes one fight bravely forest fire.

The weaker king becomes the object of favour of the group of kings.

“vigṛhītaścet ‘paraprakṛtayo luvdhakṣīṇāpacaritāḥ vigrahodvignā vā māṃ nopagacchanti’ iti paśyeta, jyāyānapi saddhīyeta, vigrahodvegaṃ vā śamayet | ‘vyasanayaugapadye'pi guruvyasano'smi, laghuvyasanaḥ paraḥ sukhena pratikṛtya vyasanamātmano'bhiyuñjyāt’ , iti paśyet, jyāyānapi sanghīyeta |” (7.3. 14-15)^[32]

“If, when at war, he were to see, “The enemy’s subjects, greedy, impoverished or rebellious, do not come over, being frightened of war”, even the stronger shuld make peace, or should allay the fear of war. Even in case of simultaneity of calamities, if he were to see, “I am in a greater calamity, the enemy, in a lighter calamity will easily overcome his own calamity, and attack (me)”, even the stronger should make peace.”^[33]

It means, being engaged in war with another king if more powerful vijigīṣu king realises that the subjects and ministers etc. of enemy king afraid or engaged in wicked act or being afraid or worried are not comming towards him, then in spite of power the vijigīṣu king will make sandhi with the weakened king or he should allay the fear of war. The vijigīṣu though powerful will make sandhi if the king realises that the calamity is present both for the vijigīṣu king and the enemy king at the same time but the calamity of the vijigīṣu king is greater and the calamity of the enemy king is lighter and the enemy king will be able to overcome his calamity easily and he will make prepration for war with the vijigīṣu king.

Now the application of ṣāḍguṇya (mainly sandhi) of weakened vijigīṣu king is being described. It is said as hīna sandhi in the Arthaśāstra. If the stornger king attacks with his armed forces then oppressed vijigīṣu king will make sandhi as early as possiable with his fund; soldiers and territory. At last he will surrender himself.

Hīnasandhi

[Hīnasandhi (a)]

[Hīnasandhi (b)]

Conclusion

The different meaning of the sandhi (allay) are used in the Arthaśāstra. They are (i) paṇavaddha sandhi (ii) bhūmi sandhi (iii) mitra sandhi (iv) Anavasita sandhi (v) karma sandhi and (vi) avaśirṇa kriyā

Sandhi is classified in another way—

1. (a) ātmāmiṣa, (b) puruṣantara, (c) adṛṣṭapurṣa

These are called daṇḍopanata sandhi

2. (a) parikraya, (b) skandhopaneya, (c) upagraha, (d) suvarṇa, (e) kapāla.

These are called kośopanata sandhi—

3. (a) ādiṣṭa, (b) ucchinna, (c) apakraya, (d) paribhūṣaṇa or paridūṣaṇa.

These are called deśopanata sandhi.

Again these three types of sandhi are called hīnasandhi. Kauṭilya accepted twelve types of sandhi. Kāmandaka accepted sixteen types of sandhi.

Manu mentioned the names of ṣāḍguṇya (sandhi etc.) but did not define them separately like the Arthaśāstra. commentator Kullūkabhhaṭṭa gave the definition of ṣāḍguṇya seperately.

According to the Manusaṃhitā sandhi is of two types.

“An alliance which yields present and future advantages, one must know to be of two descriptions, (viz.,) what when one marches together with an allay and the contrary, that is when the allies act separately.^[34]

In the Arthaśāstra only sandhi is classifies vividly among the ṣāḍguṇyas. According to the Manusaṃhitā ṣāḍguṇya i.e sandhi etc. are classified into two categories.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

R.P. Kangle: Op. cit., part-I, p.168.

[2]:

ibid., part-II, p. 322.

[3]:

ibid., part-II, p. 322.

[4]:

ibid., part-I,p.168.

[5]:

ibid., part-II,p.322.

[6]:

ibid., part-I,p.168.

[7]:

ibid., part-II, p.322.

[8]:

ibid., part-I, pp.168-169.

[9]:

ibid., part-II,p.322.

[10]:

ibid., part-II,p.323.

[11]:

ibid., part-II, p. 323.

[12]:

ibid., part-I, p. 169.

[13]:

ibid., part-II, p. 323.

[14]:

ibid., part-I, p. 169.

[15]:

ibid., part-II, p. 323.

[16]:

ibid., part-II, p. 323.

[17]:

ibid., part-II, p.323.

[18]:

ibid., part-II, p. 323.

[19]:

ibid., part-II, p. 323.

[20]:

ibid., part-II, p. 323.

[21]:

ibid., part-I, p. 169.

[22]:

ibid., part-II, p. 323.

[23]:

ibid., part-I, p. 169.

[24]:

ibid., part-II, p. 323.

[25]:

ibid., part-I, p. 169.

[26]:

ibid., part-II, p. 323.

[27]:

ibid., part-II, p.327.

[28]:

ibid., part-I, p.70.

[29]:

ibid., part-II, p.325.

[30]:

ibid., part-I, p.171.

[31]:

ibid., part-II, p.327.

[32]:

ibid., part-I, p.171.

[33]:

ibid., part-II, pp. 127-128.

[34]:

Ashokanath Shastri: Op.cit., p. 169.