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 ॥
na ced anugṛhṇīyāt kośa-daṇḍābhyāṃ mitram anugṛhya ye madhyama-dveṣiṇo rājānaḥ parasparānugṛhītā vā bahavas tiṣṭheyuḥ eka-siddhau vā bahavaḥ sidhyeyuḥ parasparād vā śaṅkitā nottiṣṭheran teṣāṃ pradhānam ekam āsannaṃ vā sāma-dānābhyāṃ labheta
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.
FAQs
A principal provides leadership and coordination capacity; a nearby king offers speed, logistics, and immediate pressure—both maximize coalition effectiveness per unit cost.