Adhyaya 18

Sutra 1

मध्यमस्यात्मा तृतीया पञ्चमी च प्रकृती प्रकृतयः ॥ कZ_०७.१८.०१ ॥

For the middle king (madhyama), his own side—namely the third and the fifth constituent factors—are the natural (aligned) factors.

Sutra 2

द्वितीया चतुर्थी षष्ठी च विकृतयः ॥ कZ_०७.१८.०२ ॥

The second, fourth, and sixth constituent factors are the variable/contrary factors (vikṛtis).

Sutra 3

तच्चेदुभयं मध्यमोऽनुगृह्णीयात् विजिगीषुर्मध्यमानुलोमः स्यात् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.०३ ॥

If the middle king supports both sides, then the would-be conqueror (vijigīṣu) should align himself in conformity with the middle king.

Sutra 4

न चेदनुगृह्णीयात्प्रकृत्यनुलोमः स्यात् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.०४ ॥

If he does not support (both/you), then one should align according to the natural structure of the constituent factors (prakṛti-alignment).

Sutra 5

मद्यमश्चेद्विजिगीषोर्मित्रं मित्रभावि लिप्सेत मित्रस्यात्मनश्च मित्राण्युत्थाप्य मध्यमाच्च मित्राणि भेदयित्वा मित्रं त्रायेत ॥ कZ_०७.१८.०५ ॥

If the Madhyama seeks to win over the would-be ally of the conqueror (vijigīṣu), he should first rally the allies of that friend and of himself, then split the allies of the Madhyama, and thereby protect (secure) that friend.

Sutra 6

मण्डलं वा प्रोत्साहयेत् अतिप्रवृद्धोऽयं मध्यमः सर्वेषां नो विनाशायाभ्युत्थितः सम्भूयास्य यात्रां विहनाम इति ॥ कZ_०७.१८.०६ ॥

Or he should rouse the circle of kings (maṇḍala): “This Madhyama has grown excessively; he is rising for the destruction of us all—let us unite and obstruct his expedition.”

Sutra 7

तच्चेन्मण्डलमनुगृह्णीयात्मध्यमावग्रहेणात्मानमुपबृंहयेत् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.०७ ॥

If the circle responds favorably, then—by positioning himself against the Madhyama—he should build up his own power.

Sutra 8

न चेदनुगृह्णीयात्कोशदण्डाभ्यां मित्रमनुगृह्य ये मध्यमद्वेषिणो राजानः परस्परानुगृहीता वा बहवस्तिष्ठेयुः एकसिद्धौ वा बहवः सिध्येयुः परस्पराद्वा शङ्किता नोत्तिष्ठेरन्तेषां प्रधानमेकमासन्नं वा सामदानाभ्यां लभेत ॥ कZ_०७.१८.०८ ॥

If it does not favor him, then—using treasury and force—he should support his ally and obtain (recruit) kings who hate the Madhyama: either many who stand mutually supported, or many who would succeed together under a single success; or those who, suspecting one another, would not rise. Among them he should secure the principal one, or one nearby, through conciliation and gifts.

Sutra 9

द्विगुणो द्वितीयं त्रिगुनस्तृतीयम् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.०९ ॥

The second (ally) makes it double; the third makes it triple.

Sutra 10

एवमभ्युच्चितो मध्यममवगृह्णीयात् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.१० ॥

Thus strengthened, he should check/contain the Madhyama.

Sutra 11

देशकालातिपत्तौ वा संधाय मध्यमेन मित्रस्य साचिव्यं कुर्यात्दूष्येषु वा कर्मसंधिम् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.११ ॥

Or, when place and time demand (in emergency), having made a pact with the Madhyama, he should undertake ministerial assistance for his ally—or conclude an operational pact for actions against vulnerable targets.

Sutra 12

कर्शनीयं वास्य मित्रं मध्यमो लिप्सेत प्रतिस्तम्भयेदेनं अहं त्वा त्रायेय इति आ कर्शनात् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.१२ ॥

Or the Madhyama may seek to acquire his ally who is fit to be worn down; he should keep him propped up with the promise, ‘I will protect you,’ until he is exhausted.

Sutra 13

कर्शितमेनं त्रायेत ॥ कZ_०७.१८.१३ ॥

He should then protect him once he has been worn down.

Sutra 14

उच्छेदनीयं वास्य मित्रं मध्यमो लिप्सेत कर्शितमेनं त्रायेत मध्यमवृद्धिभयात् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.१४ ॥

Or the Madhyama may seek to win over an ally who is fit to be eliminated; yet he should protect him once exhausted—out of fear of the Madhyama’s further growth (i.e., to prevent the rival’s excessive increase).

Sutra 15

उच्छिन्नं वा भूम्यनुग्रहेण हस्ते कुर्यादन्यत्रापसारभयात् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.१५ ॥

Or he should bring back a ruptured/alienated party under his control by granting land, out of fear that it may otherwise defect elsewhere.

Sutra 16

कर्शनीयोच्छेदनीययोश्चेन्मित्राणि मध्यमस्य साचिव्यकराणि स्युः पुरुषान्तरेण संधीयेत ॥ कZ_०७.१८.१६ ॥

If the allies of the ‘to-be-worn-down’ and the ‘to-be-destroyed’ are capable of acting as the Madhyama’s advisers/agents, he should conclude an agreement through an intermediary person.

Sutra 17

विजिगीषोर्वा तयोर्मित्राण्यवग्रहसमर्थानि स्युः संधिमुपेयात् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.१७ ॥

Or, if the allies of those two are capable of resisting/containing aggression, the would-be conqueror should enter into a treaty.

Sutra 18

अमित्रं वास्य मध्यमो लिप्सेत संधिमुपेयात् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.१८ ॥

Or, if the Madhyama seeks to secure his enemy (i.e., draw the enemy to his side/neutralize him), he should enter into a treaty.

Sutra 19

एवं स्वार्थश्च कृतो भवति मध्यमस्य प्रियं च ॥ कZ_०७.१८.१९ ॥

In this way, one’s own interest is achieved, and what is agreeable to the Madhyama is also satisfied.

Sutra 20

मध्यमश्चेत्स्वमित्रं मित्रभावि लिप्सेत पुरुषान्तरेण संदध्यात् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.२० ॥

If the Madhyama seeks to turn his own enemy into a prospective ally, he should arrange the compact through an intermediary.

Sutra 21

सापेक्षं वा नार्हसि मित्रमुच्छेत्तुमिति वारयेत् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.२१ ॥

Or he should dissuade him, saying: ‘Since he is dependent (on you/conditions), you ought not to destroy an ally.’

Sutra 22

उपेक्षेत वा मण्डलमस्य कुप्यतु स्वपक्षवधात् इति ॥ कZ_०७.१८.२२ ॥

Or he should remain indifferent, (calculating that) ‘his circle of states will become hostile because he has destroyed his own side.’

Sutra 23

अमित्रमात्मनो वा मध्यमो लिप्सेत कोशदण्डाभ्यामेनमदृश्यमानोऽनुगृह्णीयात् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.२३ ॥

Or, if the Madhyama seeks to secure his own enemy, he should secretly favor him with both resources and force (money and coercive power), without being seen.

Sutra 24

उदासीनं वा मध्यमो लिप्सेत अस्मै साहाय्यं दद्यादुदासीनाद्भिद्यतामिति ॥ कZ_०७.१८.२४ ॥

Or, if the Madhyama seeks to win over the neutral king, he should provide him assistance, (so that) ‘let him be split away from neutrality.’

Sutra 25

मध्यमोदासीनयोर्यो मण्डलस्याभिप्रेतस्तमाश्रयेत ॥ कZ_०७.१८.२५ ॥

Between the ‘middle king’ (madhyama) and the neutral (udāsīna), one should take refuge in (align with) the one who is acceptable/preferable to the circle of states (maṇḍala) for one’s strategic objective.

Sutra 26

मध्यमचरितेनोदासीनचरितं व्याख्यातम् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.२६ ॥

By the conduct/policy pattern of the middle king (madhyama), the conduct/policy pattern of the neutral (udāsīna) is explained (i.e., apply the same analytical rules).

Sutra 27

उदासीनश्चेन्मध्यमं लिप्सेत यतः शत्रुमतिसंदध्यान्मित्रस्योपकारं कुर्यादुदासीनं वा दण्डोपकारिणं लभेत ततः परिणमेत ॥ कZ_०७.१८.२७ ॥

If the neutral seeks to obtain/attach the middle king—because, by aligning the enemy’s intentions (or by arranging the enemy’s policy), he may render service to one’s ally, or else secure a neutral who provides force-support (daṇḍa-upakāra)—then one should accordingly shift/adjust one’s posture (pariṇameta).

Sutra 28

एवमुपबृह्यात्मानमरिप्रकृतिं कर्शयेन्मित्रप्रकृतिं चोपगृह्णीयात् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.२८ ॥

Thus, having strengthened oneself, one should exhaust the enemy’s constituent elements (prakṛtis) and secure/attach the ally’s constituent elements.

Sutra 29

सामन्तो बलवतः प्रतिघातोऽन्तर्धिः प्रतिवेशो वा बलवतः पार्ष्णिग्राहो वा स्वयमुपनतः प्रतापोपनतो वा दण्डोपनत इति भृत्यभाविनः सामन्ताः ॥ कZ_०७.१८.२९ब् ॥

Subordinate frontier kings (sāmantas) who are inclined to servitude are: for a powerful ruler—(a neighbor who serves as) a counter-check, a buffer/cover (concealment), or an adjacent neighbor; for a powerful ruler also—a rear-enemy (pārṣṇigrāha) who submits; and those who submit of their own accord, submit due to one’s prestige, or submit due to coercive force.

Sutra 30

तैर्भूम्येकान्तरा व्याख्याताः ॥ कZ_०७.१८.३० ॥

By those (categories), the intervening states/territories (bhūmyekāntara) are explained.

Sutra 31

शक्त्या तदनुगृह्णीयाद्विषहेत यया परम् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.३१च्द् ॥

One should support it (that ally) according to one’s capacity; and endure/hold out against the other side by the means with which one can withstand the superior adversary.

Sutra 32

प्रसाध्य शत्रुं यन्मित्रं वृद्धं गच्छेदवश्यताम् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.३२अब् ॥

After subduing the enemy, if an ally—having grown stronger—would pass into a position of dominance over you (making you dependent), [that outcome must be anticipated and prevented].

Sutra 33

यथा वानुग्रहापेक्षं वश्यं तिष्ठेत्तथा चरेत् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.३३च्द् ॥

He should act so that the other remains compliant and dependent upon his favor.

Sutra 34

तदहीनमवृद्धं च स्थापयेन्मित्रमर्थवित् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.३४च्द् ॥

The knower of advantage should establish an ally who is neither deficient nor excessively strengthened.

Sutra 35

तस्यापगमने हेतुं विहन्यान्न चलेद् यथा ॥ कZ_०७.१८.३५च्द् ॥

he should neutralize the cause of that ally’s departure, so that it does not defect.

Sutra 36

भेदयेद्भिन्नमुच्छिन्द्यात्ततः शत्रुमनन्तरम् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.३६च्द् ॥

He should create a split; having split them, he should cut off (destroy) the separated part; then, immediately thereafter, the enemy.

Sutra 37

ततो विग्रहसंतप्तमुपकारे निवेशयेत् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.३७च्द् ॥

Then he should draw the party scorched by conflict into a position of dependence through a favor (material aid, protection, or concession).

Sutra 38

तद्बलेनानुगृह्णीयाद् यथा स्यान्न परान्मुखम् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.३८च्द् ॥

he should support him with that (appropriate) strength so that he does not turn away toward others.

Sutra 39

निवेश्य पूर्वं तत्रान्यद्दण्डानुग्रहहेतुना ॥ कZ_०७.१८.३९च्द् ॥

Having first established him there, he should then deploy other measures—coercion and favor—as the instruments for control.

Sutra 40

उच्छिन्द्यादेव तन्मित्रं विश्वस्याङ्कमुपस्थितम् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.४०च्द् ॥

He should cut off that ‘ally’ outright when it has come to sit in everyone’s lap (i.e., is universally courted and thus unreliable).

Sutra 41

अरिव्यसनसिद्ध्या तच्छत्रुणैव प्रसिध्यति ॥ कZ_०७.१८.४१च्द् ॥

By successfully bringing about (or exploiting) the enemy’s calamity, the king’s objective is accomplished—indeed, it is achieved through that very enemy.

Sutra 42

सर्वोपायान् समादध्यादेतान्यश्चार्थशास्त्रवित् ॥ कZ_०७.१८.४२च्द् ॥

A knower of statecraft should deploy all means—these (measures) and the other expedients as well.

Sutra 43

स बुद्धिनिगलैर्बद्धैरिष्टं क्रीडति पार्थिवैः ॥ कZ_०७.१८.४३च्द् ॥

—he, having bound other kings with fetters of intellect, plays them to achieve what he desires.