14. Regarding Policy-making

Basis of Policy-making : It has been made clear that a king - technically speaking a vijigisu—has always to consult his ministers and pay attention to tivagga, i.e. a matter of fact assessment of the contemporary condition and to decide whether it is decline, status quo or prosperity (ksaya, sthana and vrddhi). If the king does not do so, the kingdom and he himself have to face ruin-. Policy-making : The factors which a king has to take into consideration while crystalyzing his foreign policy are time, place, prospects of damage or loss (ahiya), pros and cons of a policy and one's ability. If one has to declare war, where and how to attack or to retreat has also to be forethought 2. This, in short, means the judgement of one's potential powers and grasp of the situation. This determines which one of the six attitudes (sadgunya) in foreign relations he has to keep up with the kings or kingdoms around him. In his long discourse to Vasudeva, in the Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, Devarisabha states that he is going to advise him on the matters of war on the lines of the Atthasattha of Kodalla, i.e. kautilya. According to him a king should never 1. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, II.142a. 3. Ibid., II.126b-128a. 2. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, II.126b; see also ibid., II.31a.

87 fail to judge the situation in which he is moving. He should prepare himself for the worst,i.e. war. The analogy he gives is that of building a bund when the floods have not approached (anagayassa paniyassa bamdham pasamsamti pamdiya). A person who wants to bag final victory should equip himself as follows. He should strengthen his force and enrich his treasures%3B examine the weak points of both, i.e. of his side and enemy's side. After such an examination he should also try to amend his own faults and boost the morale of his people, try to sow dissension among the warriors of the enemy and should also equip himself in view of the various contingencies of war,viz. retreat (avasapana), dissension through spies (uvajava), adopting mechanically deviced weapons (jamta), use of dangerous chemicals (rasappayaga), and use of the means of setting fire (jogadahanovaya). Devarisabha further states that thus very well equipped 1, the king, to attain his objective, should 1. King Mamdava_deva conveyed through his ambassador to Vasudeva that he was not at all afraid of him, as he had i) a strong and faithful army recruited from amongst families who have been loyal to the throne for generations, ii) devoted friends, iii) counsellors who are intellectual giants, and iv) very skilled soldiers. He had full confidence in his own valour on which he relied most; Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, II. 141a.

88 channelise his activities through the six attitudes (chaggunna) 1 and four exigencies (uvaya) 2. Devarisabha further gives details as to how a king should behave with others, either allies or enemies.