Kauṭilya teaches that allies defect not from fate but from mismanagement—so the conqueror must prevent and cure specific grievances before enemies weaponize them. Alliance is an asset within Saptāṅga, not a sentiment. Friends turn hostile through identifiable triggers: blocked return, fear-based approach, denied dues, insult after service, over-exaction, over-burdening, neglect, asking then opposing, improper honor, restraining capability. An ally is hard to gain but easy to alienate once secured. Rivals exploit ‘dūṣya’ to split the ally from the conqueror. Policy: avoid ally-destroying faults; when faults occur, pacify via countervailing virtues (restitution, proportionality, honor, autonomy, consistency). Strategic payoff: stabilizes coalition, reducing forced expenditures and diplomatic/military overcompensation.
Sutra 1
भिन्नकूटमन्धमिति ॥ कZ_०८.५.०१ ॥
[The opponent is classified as:] ‘one whose formation is broken, and one who is blind (unaware/confused).’
Sutra 2
तेषाममानितविमानितानियतयोरमानितं कृतार्थमानं युध्येत न विमानितमन्तःकोपम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.०२ ॥
Between one who has not been humiliated and one who has been humiliated (and is therefore unpredictable), he should fight the unhumiliated—one whose pride is satisfied and stable; he should not fight the humiliated one whose anger is inwardly inflamed.
Sutra 3
अभृतव्याधितयोरभृतं तदात्वकृतवेतनं युध्येत न व्याधितमकर्मण्यम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.०३ ॥
Between unpaid and sick forces, he should fight the unpaid—especially those paid only at the moment (ad hoc wages); he should not fight the sick, who are unfit for action.
Sutra 4
नवागतदूरायातयोर्नवागतमन्यत उपलब्धदेशमनवमिश्रं युध्येत न दूरायतमायतगतपरिक्लेशम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.०४ ॥
Between a newly arrived force and one that has come from far away, he should fight the newly arrived—one that has obtained local ground and is not mixed with unfamiliar elements; he should not fight the far-marched force that is distressed from the hardships of travel.
Sutra 5
परिश्रान्तपरिक्षीणयोः परिश्रान्तं स्नानभोजनस्वप्नलब्धविश्रामं युध्येत न परिक्षीणमन्यत्राहवे क्षीणयुग्यपुरुषम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.०५ ॥
Between a merely tired force and a depleted one, he should fight the tired force once it has recovered through bathing, food, and sleep; he should not fight the depleted force—except in battle—when its draft-animals and men are worn out.
Sutra 6
प्रतिहतहताग्रवेगयोः प्रतिहतमग्रपातभग्नं प्रवीरपुरुषसंहतं युध्येत न हताग्रवेगमग्रपातहतवीरम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.०६ ॥
Between a checked force and one whose forward momentum is destroyed, he should fight the checked force—whose first onset is broken yet whose brave men remain cohesive; he should not fight the one whose vanguard momentum is destroyed and whose leading heroes are slain in the first clash.
Sutra 7
अनृत्वभूमिप्राप्तयोरनृतुप्राप्तं यथर्तुयुग्यशस्त्रावरणं युध्येत नाभूमिप्राप्तमवरुद्धप्रसारव्यायामम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.०७ ॥
Between one that has arrived in an unseasonable time and one that has not yet reached suitable ground, he should fight the one that has arrived out of season—though equipped with season-appropriate arms and protection; he should not fight one that has not reached its ground and whose movement and exercise are constrained.
Sutra 8
आशानिर्वेदिपरिसृप्तयोराशानिर्वेदि लब्धाभिप्रायं युध्येत न परिसृप्तमपसृतमुख्यम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.०८ ॥
Between one whose intention is known and one that has dispersed, he should fight the one whose aim has been ascertained; he should not fight the dispersed force whose main body has withdrawn.
Sutra 9
कलत्रगर्भ्यन्तःशल्ययोः कलत्रगर्भि उन्मुच्य कलत्रं युध्येत नान्तःशल्यमन्तरमित्रम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.०९ ॥
Between one preoccupied with wife and household and one harboring an internal thorn, he should fight the one bound by wife/household after separating him from his wife; he should not fight one with an internal thorn—an ally within (i.e., a hidden internal enemy).
Sutra 10
कुपितमूलभिन्नगर्भयोः कुपितमूलं प्रशमितकोपं सामादिभिर्युध्येत न भिन्नगर्भमन्योन्यस्माद्भिन्नम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.१० ॥
Between (an enemy) whose root-base is angered and (one) whose inner cohesion is split, one should fight the “angered-at-the-root” opponent—after first pacifying his wrath through conciliation and allied measures; one should not fight the internally split opponent, for his parts are separated from one another (and will collapse on their own).
Sutra 11
अपसृतातिक्षिप्तयोरपसृतमेकराज्यातिक्रान्तं मन्त्रव्यायामाभ्यां सत्त्रमित्रापाश्रयं युध्येत नातिक्षिप्तमनेकराज्यातिक्रान्तं बह्वाबाधत्वात् ॥ कZ_०८.५.११ ॥
Between a force that has withdrawn and one that is excessively overextended, one should fight the withdrawn force that has crossed only one kingdom—using counsel and operational exertion, and with support from a friendly base/ally; one should not fight the excessively overextended force that has crossed many kingdoms, because it entails multiple complications and obstacles.
Sutra 12
उपनिविष्टसमाप्तयोरुपनिविष्टं पृथग्यानस्थानमतिसंधायारिं युध्येत न समाप्तमरिणैकस्थानयानम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.१२ ॥
Between an enemy who is merely encamped and one who has completed (his concentration/readiness), one should fight the encamped enemy by exploiting separated marching/positioning points; one should not fight the fully completed enemy whose movement and stationing are unified in one place.
Sutra 13
उपरुद्धपरिक्षिप्तयोरुपरुद्धमन्यतो निष्क्रम्योपरोद्धारं प्रतियुध्येत न परिक्षिप्तं सर्वतः प्रतिरुद्धम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.१३ ॥
Between one who is blockaded and one who is completely encircled, one should counter-fight the blockader by sallying out from another side; one should not attempt this against a force that is completely encircled and blocked on all sides.
Sutra 14
छिन्नधान्यपुरुषवीवधयोः छिन्नधान्यमन्यतो धान्यमानीय जङ्गमस्थावराहारं वा युध्येत न छिन्नपुरुषवीवधमनभिसारम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.१४ ॥
Between one whose grain supply is cut and one whose men and draft-animals are cut down, one should fight the side whose grain is cut—bringing grain from elsewhere or subsisting on movable and fixed provisions; one should not fight when men and transport-animals are destroyed and relief cannot be brought in.
Sutra 15
स्वविक्षिप्तमित्रविक्षिप्तयोः स्वविक्षिप्तं स्वभूमौ विक्षिप्तं सैन्यमापदि शक्यमावाहयितुं न मित्रविक्षिप्तं विप्रकृष्टदेशकालत्वात् ॥ कZ_०८.५.१५ ॥
Between one’s own dispersed troops and an ally’s dispersed troops, one should rely on one’s own dispersed forces—dispersed within one’s territory—since in crisis they can be called in; not on an ally’s dispersed forces, because distance of place and time makes them unreliable.
Sutra 16
दूष्ययुक्तदुष्टपार्ष्णिग्राहयोर्दूष्ययुक्तमाप्तपुरुषाधिष्ठितमसंहतं युध्येत न दुष्टपार्ष्णिग्राहं पृष्ठाभिघातत्रस्तम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.१६ ॥
Between a force tainted by unreliable elements and a treacherous rear-grabber, one should fight the tainted force—if it is supervised by trusted men and not tightly consolidated; one should not fight when there is a treacherous rear-threat that makes one fearful of a blow from behind.
Sutra 17
शून्यमूलास्वामिसंहतयोः शून्यमूलं कृतपौरजानपदारक्षं सर्वसंदोहेन युध्येत नास्वामिसंहतं राजसेनापतिहीनम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.१७ ॥
Between a polity that is rootless and one that is consolidated but without a master, one should fight the rootless one—after securing the city and countryside and by assembling all forces; one should not fight a consolidated force that is leaderless, lacking the king and commander (since it can behave unpredictably and is hard to settle through a single decision-point).
Sutra 18
भिन्नकूटान्धयोर्भिन्नकूटमन्याधिष्ठितं युध्येत नान्धमदेशिकं इति ॥ कZ_०८.५.१८ ॥
Between a force with divided command (split leadership) and a blind/unguided force, one should fight the force with divided command—if it is directed by another leader; one should not fight the blind force that lacks guidance (a proper guide/commander).
Sutra 19
संधिश्चोत्तरपक्षस्य बलव्यसनसाधनम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.१९च्द् ॥
A treaty (saṃdhi), when it places one in the advantageous ‘later/upper position’ (uttarapakṣa), becomes a means to overcome a calamity affecting one’s strength.
Sutra 20
प्रहरेद्दण्डरन्ध्रेषु शत्रूणां नित्यमुत्थितः ॥ कZ_०८.५.२०च्द् ॥
Remaining constantly active, he should strike at the enemies’ ‘gaps’ in coercive power—weak points in their enforcement and military apparatus.
Sutra 21
प्रागेव प्रतिकुर्वीत तन्निमित्तमतन्द्रितः ॥ कZ_०८.५.२१च्द् ॥
he should counter that very cause in advance, without negligence.
Sutra 22
परित्यक्तमशक्त्या वा लोभेन प्रणयेन वा ॥ कZ_०८.५.२२च्द् ॥
or if he is abandoned—whether due to incapacity, or due to greed, or due to attachment/affection (toward another),
Sutra 23
द्वैधीभावेन वामित्रं यास्यता वान्यमन्यतः ॥ कZ_०८.५.२३च्द् ॥
or if, by adopting a dual policy (dvaidhībhāva), one must deal with an ally ambiguously, or else go to another ally elsewhere,
Sutra 24
पृथग्वा सहयाने वा विश्वासेनातिसंहितम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.२४अब् ॥
Whether acting separately or moving jointly, one should not be bound too tightly by trust (in the ally).
Sutra 25
आच्छेदनाददानाद्वा दत्त्वा वाप्यवमानितम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.२५च्द् ॥
Whether through seizure, through refusal to give, or even after giving but then humiliating him—these actions generate alienation in a partner.
Sutra 26
अतिभारे नियुक्तं वा भङ्क्त्वा परमुपस्थितम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.२६च्द् ॥
Or when he is assigned an excessive burden; or after breaking an understanding, he then goes over to the other side (i.e., defects).
Sutra 27
कृच्छ्रेण साध्यते मित्रं सिद्धं चाशु विरज्यति ॥ कZ_०८.५.२७च्द् ॥
An ally is secured only with difficulty; once secured, he can quickly become estranged.
Sutra 28
मानितं वा न सदृशं शक्तितो वा निवारितम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.२८च्द् ॥
Or (when) the honor shown is not proportionate; or he is restrained/blocked by (one’s) power.
Sutra 29
दूष्यैर्वा भेदितुं मित्रं साध्यं सिद्धं च तिष्ठति ॥ कZ_०८.५.२९च्द् ॥
By exploiting vulnerabilities (dūṣya), an ally can be split; whether the ally is yet to be secured or already secured, it remains susceptible to division.
Sutra 30
उत्पन्नान्वा प्रशमयेद्गुणैर्दोषोपघातिभिः ॥ कZ_०८.५.३०च्द् ॥
Or, if such faults have arisen, one should pacify and neutralize them through qualities/strengths that counteract those faults.
Alliance stability reduces war risk, prevents hostile coalitions, lowers transaction costs of diplomacy, and protects internal welfare by avoiding emergency levies and militarization triggered by ally-defection.
This unit does not prescribe a fixed legal punishment; the 'daṇḍa' is strategic and systemic: loss of the ally, enemy-driven bheda, and cascading insecurity. Administrative accountability is implied—ministers/envoys causing avamāna, overburdening, or withholding become blameworthy and should be corrected or replaced.