यश्च मुख्यः पक्षवान्दुर्गाटवीस्थो वा वैगुण्यं भजेत तमुपग्राहयेत् ॥ कZ_०५.६.०८ ॥
yaś ca mukhyaḥ pakṣavān durgāṭavīstho vā vaiguṇyaṃ bhajeta tam upagrāhayet
Mana-mana tokoh utama yang mempunyai puak penyokong—sama ada berpusat di kubu atau di hutan—jika menunjukkan rasa tidak puas hati atau kelemahan, hendaklah dipujuk dan diikat kesetiaannya untuk dibawa di bawah kawalan.
It is cheaper and faster to absorb a wavering power-broker than to fight him; co-optation prevents factional consolidation against the state.
Kauṭilya treats both frontier garrisons and forest polities as potential bases of alternative power requiring political handling.