Shishupala-vadha (Study)

by Shila Chakraborty | 2018 | 112,267 words

This page relates ‘Sama, Dana, Bheda and Danda’ of the study on the Shishupala-vadha (in English) in the light of Manusamhita (law and religious duties) and Arthashastra (science of politics and warfare). The Shishupalavadha is an epic poem (Mahakavya) written by Magha in the 7th century AD. It consists of 1800 Sanskrit verses spread over twenty chapters and narrates the details of the king of the Chedis.

Sāmā, Dāna, Bheda and Daṇḍa

The vijigīṣu king is able to captivate those states through the implimentation of sāma, dāna, bheda and daṇḍa. This four processes are very useful in his own and other states’ situations.

In this regard four important tricks have been described in the Arthaśāstra of Kauṭilya. These are sāma, dāna, bheda and daṇḍa.

“[...]” (1.14.12)[1]

(Vijigīṣu) “He should win over the seducible in the enemy’s territories by means of conciliation and gifts and those not seducible by means of dissension and force, pointing out (to them) the defects of the enemy”.[2]

In this respect Manu says in his Saṃhitā”:

[...] (7.107)[3]

“When he is thus engaged in conquest, let him subdue all the opponents he may find, by the four expedients, conciliation (sāma) and the rest.”[4]

Commentator Kullūkabhaṭṭa says—in the commentary of the above verse—

“evamukkaprakāreṇa vijayapravṛttasya nṛpateḥ ye vijayavirodhino bhaveyustān sarvān sāmadānabhedadaṇḍairupāyaiḥ vaśamānayet |”

In this context commentator Medhātithi says—

“[...]”

Manu also says—

“[...]” (7.109)[5]

“Among the four expedients, conciliation and the rest, the learned always recommend conciliation and the employment of force for the prosperity of kingdoms.”[6]

Commentator Kullūka said in this respect—

“[...]”

And Medhātithi also says—

“[...]”

But the king through not single procedure but gradually, he faced aquints his enemies through four procedures.

Sāma

The vijigīṣu king for his personal and political self, implies sweet speeches consolation and praise etc. to remove the agitation of his enemy. This implementation is called as sāma.

Dāna

The second is dāna. If the principle sāma is failed to solve the problem, he implements distribution of money or honour to the agitated enemies. It is called dāna.

Bheda

In case of failure of dāna, the king implements the rules of devidation to separate one group from another. They become weak for this hypocrassy and become captivated.

In this connection Manu said—

“sāmnā dānena bhedena samastairathavā pṛthak |
vijetuṃ prayatetārīn na yuddhena kadācana ||” 7.198 ||[7]

“He should, however, try to conquer his foes by conciliation, by well-applied gifts, and by creating dissension, used either separately or conjointly, never by fighting (if it can be avoided)”.[8]

Daṇḍa

In case of failure of the principle of bheda, the ultimate implementation of the principle of daṇḍa comes to a success. It must be earned for the lack of intellectuality. In failure of bheda principle daṇḍa. is important. So, king then welcomes the victory of daṇḍa principle.

To rule a state the principles sāma and daṇḍa are highly praised. If first three principles are unable to control the enemy, the trick implementation of daṇḍa must welcomes the success as according to Manusaṃhitā.

The great poet Māgha has a great wisdom about these four processes. According to him, principle for the inevitable rules to rule a state, a king should be acknowledged about his own and other states. Then he will be able to implement these four processes properly. Then he is able to restrain his own enemies and others easily. Thus the King is able to spread his reputation in his kingdom.

The object of the Kings spies are to required gather information living at the enemies state. As they are appointed by their own vijigīṣu king, they get the salary from him, as well as from enemy king being his employee. This type of spy would be ambisalaried. They are appointed according to their need to the high post of the enemy king. They would collect secret written documents achieving the belief of the ministers and in the write time they use those evidences against them and expose themselves traitors of those minister. Thus the enemy king would be weak and annoyed. The ambisalaried should conceal their identity in such a way so that nobody could recognise them.

The great poet Māgha was properly aware of the use of sāma, dāna, bheda and daṇḍa ÷and the activities of ambisalaried spy in the field of politics and he had deep knowledge in it can be evidently understood in a śloka of canto two of his Kāvya.

Here we come to know that he is well versed about the nature of ambisalaried.

“ajñātadoṣairdoṣajñaifṅkṣaddūṣyobhayavetanaiḥ |
bhedyāḥ śatrobhivyakkaśāsanaiḥ sāmavāyikāḥ ||” 2.113 ||[9]

“The ministers of the enemy are to be alienated by those whose character is not known to the enemy, who are cognisant of the weak points of the enemy, who take salary both from his own master and from the enemy after denouncing them publicly”.[10]

Acquiring trust of the ministers of the enemy King and collecting the confidential evidence the spy should apply against to them timely and proves as unfaithful publicly.

In this way he separates between the servants and ministers of the enemy King.

“You shall have to engage spies through out the length and breadth of your enemy’s country. They in disguise will take various offices in his state and create confidence in the highest officials. The opportune moment appearing before them they will denounce those officials publicly after producing evidence. Thereby they will weaken the cause of the enemy.[11]

“[...]” || 2.99 ||[12]

“Even slight sowing of dissension effected by him will instantly fire them up already bearing grudge towards you as a very slight wind quickly burns up the smouldering fuel.

Kālayavana, Rukmi and others are already against you and the slightest amount of instigation made by śiśupala will fire up the spirits of these hostile demons against you (who will readily pounce upon you) as the slightest breeze very easily blazes up a help of smouldering fuel.”[13]

In this context we can found in the fifth act of play Mudrārākṣasa by Viśakhadatta where we can see in the part of conversation among Bhāgurāyana, Malayaketu, and Rākṣsa, where there has been created bheda between the king of Parvata’s son and his minister Bhāgurayana. It is that Bhāgurāyana who is ambisalaried the minister of Malayaketu.

But actually there has been discussed about the ambisalaried’s nature of the spy of cānakya in chapter XI and XII of part one of Kauṭilya’s Arthaśāstra.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

R. P. Kangle: The Kauṭilīya Arthaśāstra, part-I, p.18.

[2]:

ibid., Part-II, p. 32.

[3]:

Manabendu Bandyopadhaya: Op.cit., p. 681.

[4]:

Ashokanath Shastri: Op cit., p. 125.

[5]:

Manabendu Bandyopahaya: Op. cit., p. 681.

[6]:

Ashokanath Sahstri: Op. cit., p. 126.

[7]:

Manabendu Bandyopadhaya: Op. cit., p. 723.

[8]:

Ashokenath shastri: Op. cit., p. 193.

[9]:

Haridas siddhantavagisha: Op. cit., p. 100.

[10]:

Sitanath Kavyaratna & Madhab Dass Sankhya tirtha: Op. cit., p.339.

[11]:

loc.cit.

[12]:

Haridas Siddhantavagisha: Op. cit., p.94.

[13]:

Sitanath Kavyaratna & Madhab Dass sankhyatirtha: Op. cit., pp. 289-290.

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