Sutra 22
अरिविजिगीषुमध्यानां बहिः प्रकृतिभ्यो बलवत्तरः संहतासंहतानामरिविजिगीषुमध्यमानामनुग्रहसमर्थो निग्रहे चासंहतानामुदासीनः ॥ कZ_०६.२.२२ ॥
arivijigīṣumadhyānāṃ bahiḥ prakṛtibhyo balavattaraḥ saṃhatāsaṃhatānām arivijigīṣumadhyamānām anugrahasamartho nigrahe cāsaṃhatānām udāsīnaḥ
The ‘neutral’ (udāsīna) is a power outside the circles of the enemy, the would-be conqueror, and the middle king, and stronger than them in resources; he is capable of assisting any of them—whether united or disunited—and of restraining those who are disunited.
FAQs
The madhyama is geographically between and contiguous to the main rivals; the udāsīna is geographically/politically outside their immediate circle but superior in state-capacity, enabling selective intervention.
Assessment must be capability-based (ministers, territory/people, fortifications, treasury, army, etc.), not merely intent-based; the udāsīna can shift the strategic equilibrium.