सर्वसंदोहेन वा मामनादृत्य प्रयातुकामः कथं न यायादिति परवृद्धिप्रतिघातार्थं प्रतापार्थं च विगृह्यासीत ॥ कZ_०७.४.०७ए ॥
sarvasaṃdohena vā mām anādṛtya prayātukāmaḥ kathaṃ na yāyāt iti paravṛddhi-pratighātārthaṃ pratāpārthaṃ ca vigṛhya āsīta.
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).
To block a rival’s strategic maneuver and prevent his power from compounding; the hostile posture also signals strength (pratāpa), discouraging opportunism by others.