Adhyaya 4

Sutra 1

संधिविग्रहयोरासनं यानं च व्याख्यातम् ॥ कZ_०७.४.०१ ॥

Between peace (treaty) and hostility (war), “remaining quiet” (āsana) and “marching/expedition” (yāna) are explained as policy options.

Sutra 2

स्थानमासनमुपेक्षणं चेत्यासनपर्यायाः ॥ कZ_०७.४.०२ ॥

“Staying in place” (sthāna), “remaining seated/quiet” (āsana), and “watchful non-interference” (upekṣaṇa)—these are synonyms/variants of āsana.

Sutra 3

विशेषस्तु गुणैकदेशे स्थानं स्ववृद्धिप्राप्त्यर्थमासनमुपायानामप्रयोग उपेक्षणम् ॥ कZ_०७.४.०३ ॥

The distinction is this: sthāna is maintaining one’s position when only part of the advantages is present; āsana is remaining quiet for the sake of one’s own growth; upekṣaṇa is not employing one’s means (despite having them).

Sutra 4

अतिसंधानकामयोररिविजिगीष्वोरुपहन्तुमशक्तयोर्विगृह्यासनं संधाय वा ॥ कZ_०७.४.०४ ॥

When the enemy and the would-be conqueror both desire excessive consolidation/extension but are unable to strike each other, one should adopt āsana—either after opening hostilities or after making peace.

Sutra 5

यदा वा पश्येत्स्वदण्डैर्मित्राटवीदण्डैर्वा समं ज्यायांसं वा कर्शयितुमुत्सहे इति तदा कृतबाह्याभ्यन्तरकृत्यो विगृह्यासीत ॥ कZ_०७.४.०५ ॥

Or when he perceives: “With my own forces—or with the forces of allies and forest-chiefs—I am able to wear down an equal or even a stronger enemy,” then, having completed external and internal preparations, he should enter hostility and then remain in posture (āsana).

Sutra 6

यदा वा पश्येत् उत्साहयुक्ता मे प्रकृतयः संहता विवृद्धाः स्वकर्माण्यव्याहताश्चरिष्यन्ति परस्य वा कर्माण्युपहनिष्यन्ति इति तदा विगृह्यासीत ॥ कZ_०७.४.०६ ॥

Or when he perceives: “My constituent elements of the state (prakṛti) are energetic, united, and strengthened; they will carry out their own functions without obstruction, and will obstruct the enemy’s operations,” then he should enter hostility and hold posture (āsana).

Sutra 7

सर्वसंदोहेन वा मामनादृत्य प्रयातुकामः कथं न यायादिति परवृद्धिप्रतिघातार्थं प्रतापार्थं च विगृह्यासीत ॥ कZ_०७.४.०७ए ॥

Or if (a power) wishes to depart, disregarding me, with full mobilization—how should he be prevented from going? For the purpose of checking the rival’s rise and for maintaining one’s own prestige, one should adopt hostility and remain poised (in that posture).

Sutra 8

तमेव हि प्रत्यावृत्तो ग्रसते इत्याचार्याः ॥ कZ_०७.४.०८ ॥

For, say the teachers, the one who turns back (from his march/enterprise) is swallowed up by that very (power/undertaking).

Sutra 10

कर्शनमात्रमस्य कुर्यादव्यसनिनः परवृद्ध्या तु वृद्धः समुच्छेदनम् ॥ कZ_०७.४.१० ॥

Against one not in calamity, he should inflict only attrition/harassment; but if the rival has grown through others’ increase (i.e., is strengthened by external gains), then—being himself strengthened—he should undertake complete uprooting (decisive elimination).

Sutra 11

एवं परस्य यातव्योऽस्मै साहाय्यमविनष्टः प्रयच्छेत् ॥ कZ_०७.४.११ ॥

Thus, one may go to the other (party) and, without endangering oneself, provide him assistance.

Sutra 12

तस्मात्सर्वसंदोहप्रकृतं विगृह्यासीत ॥ कZ_०७.४.१२ ॥

Therefore, one should adopt hostility while being prepared with full mobilization.

Sutra 13

विगृह्यासनहेतुप्रातिलोम्ये संधायासीत ॥ कZ_०७.४.१३ ॥

When the reasons for hostility or for neutrality become reversed, one should conclude a treaty and remain accordingly.

Sutra 14

विगृह्यासनहेतुभिरभ्युच्चितः सर्वसंदोहवर्जं विगृह्य यायात् ॥ कZ_०७.४.१४ ॥

Having grown in strength through the causes that justify war and remaining free from all major vulnerabilities, the king should initiate hostilities and march.

Sutra 15

यदा वा पश्येत् व्यसनी परः प्रकृतिव्यसनं वास्य शेएषप्रकृतिभिरप्रतिकार्यं स्वचक्रपीडिता विरक्ता वास्य प्रकृतयः कर्शिता निरुत्साहाः परस्पराद्वा भिन्नाः शक्या लोभयितुमग्न्युदकव्याधिमरकदुर्भिक्षनिमित्तं क्षीणयुग्यपुरुषनिचयरक्षाविधानः परः इति तदा विगृह्य यायात् ॥ कZ_०७.४.१५ ॥

Or, when he observes that the enemy is afflicted by calamities—so that a crisis in one element of the enemy’s state cannot be remedied by the remaining elements; that the enemy’s constituents are oppressed by their own regime, alienated, emaciated, lacking morale, or mutually divided and thus can be induced by offers; that the enemy is weakened by fire, flood, disease, epidemic, or famine; and that the enemy’s arrangements for protecting transport animals, manpower reserves, and defenses are depleted—then he should initiate hostilities and march.

Sutra 16

यदा वा पश्येत्मित्रमाक्रन्दश्च मे शूरवृद्धानुरक्तप्रकृतिः विपरीतप्रकृतिः परः पार्ष्णिग्राहश्चासारश्च शक्ष्यामि मित्रेणासारमाक्रन्देन पार्ष्णिग्राहं वा विगृह्य यातुमिति तदा विगृह्य यायात् ॥ कZ_०७.४.१६ ॥

Or, when he sees that his ally and his supporting rear state are loyal and composed of brave and experienced constituents, while the enemy’s constituents are adverse; and when the enemy’s ‘heel-grasper’ (rear-threatening neighbor) and his weak ally are vulnerable—so that with his ally he can strike the enemy’s weak ally, or with his rear-support he can strike the heel-grasper—then he should initiate hostilities and march.

Sutra 17

यदा वा फलमेकहार्यमल्पकालं पश्येत्तदा पार्ष्णिग्राहासाराभ्यां विगृह्य यायात् ॥ कZ_०७.४.१७ ॥

Or, when he foresees a gain that can be secured in a single stroke and within a short time, he should march after initiating hostilities against the heel-grasper and the enemy’s weak ally.

Sutra 18

विपर्यये संधाय यायात् ॥ कZ_०७.४.१८ ॥

In the opposite case, he should proceed by making a treaty (rather than by war).

Sutra 19

यदा वा पश्येत् न शक्यमेकेन यातुमवश्यं च यातव्यमिति तदा समहीनज्यायोभिः सामवायिकैः सम्भूय यायादेकत्र निर्दिष्टेनांशेन अनेकत्रानिर्दिष्टेनांशेन ॥ कZ_०७.४.१९ ॥

Or, when he sees that marching cannot be done alone but must be done, then he should march jointly with confederates of equal, lesser, or greater power—either with a fixed share agreed for one place/objective, or with an unfixed share spread across multiple places/objectives.

Sutra 20

तेषामसमवाये दण्डमन्यतमस्मान्निविष्टांशेन याचेत ॥ कZ_०७.४.२० ॥

If they fail to combine as agreed, he should demand a penalty from any one of them, in proportion to the share that had been fixed/undertaken.

Sutra 21

सम्भूयाभिगमनेन वा निर्विश्येत ध्रुवे लाभे निर्दिष्टेनांशेन अध्रुवे लाभांशेन ॥ कZ_०७.४.२१ ॥

Or, by marching together and entering/occupying (the target), he should distribute shares by a fixed allotment when the gain is certain, and by a gain-proportional allotment when the gain is uncertain.

Sutra 22

विलोपो वा यथालाभं प्रक्षेपसम एव वा ॥ कZ_०७.४.२२च्द् ॥

Or, losses may be apportioned according to actual gains; or else the division may be strictly equal to the contributions invested.