Chapter 14 - Winning over Factions

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Protection of parties for, or against, one’s own cause in one’s own state has been dealt with. Similar measures in connection with parties in a foreign state are to be treated of.

Those who are deluded with false promise of large rewards; those of whom one party, though equally skilful as another party in artistic work or in turning out productive or beneficial works, is slighted by bestowing larger rewards on its rival party; those who are harassed by courtiers (Vallabhāvaruddhā); those who are invited to be slighted; those who are harassed by banishment; those who, in spite of their large outlay of money, have failed in their undertakings; those who are prevented from the exercise of their rights or from taking possession of their inheritance; those who have fallen from their rank and honours in government service; those who are shoved to the corner by their own kinsmen; those whose women are violently assaulted; those who are thrown in jail; those who are punished in secret; those who are warned of their misdeeds; those whose property has been wholly confiscated; those who have long suffered from imprisonment; those whose relatives are banished—all these come under the group of provoked persons.

He who has fallen a victim to misfortune by his own misdeeds; he who is offended (by the king); he whose sinful deeds are brought to light; he who is alarmed at the award of punishment on a man of like guilt; he whose lands have been confiscated; he whose rebellious spirit is put down by coercive measures; he who, as a superintendent of all government departments, has suddenly amassed a large amount of wealth; he who, as a relative of such a rich man, aspires to inherit his wealth; he who is disliked by the king; and he who hates the king—ail these come under the group of persons alarmed.

He who is impoverished; he who has lost much wealth; he who is niggardly; he who is addicted to evil propensities; and he who is engaged in dangerous transactions—all these constitute the group of ambitious persons.

He who is self-sufficient; he who is fond of honour; he who is intolerant of his rival’s honour; he who is esteemed low; he who is of a fiery spirit; he who is foolhardy as well as he who is not content with what he has been enjoying—all these come under the group of haughty persons.

Of these, he who clings to a particular faction shall be so deluded by spies with shaved head or braided hair as to believe that he is intriguing with that part. Partisans under provocation, for example, may be won over by telling that “Just as an elephant in rut and mounted over by a driver under intoxication tramples under its foot whatever it comes across, so this king, dispossessed of the eye of science, blindly attempts to oppress both citizens and country people; it is possible to restrain him by setting up a rival elephant against him; so have forbearance enough (to wait).”

Likewise alarmed persons may be won over by telling that “Just as a hidden snake bites and emits poison over whatever alarms it, so this king, apprehensive of danger from thee, will ere long emit the poison of his resentment on thee; so thou mayest better go elsewhere.”

Similarly ambitious persons may be won over by telling that “Just as a cow reared by dog-keepers gives milk to dogs, but not to Brahmans, so this king gives milk (rewards) to those who are devoid of valour, foresight, eloquence and bravery, but not to those who are possessed of noble character; so the other king, who is possessed of power to discriminate men from men, may be courted.”

In like manner haughty persons may be won over by telling that “Just as a reservoir of water belonging to Cāṇḍālas is serviceable only to Cāṇḍālas, but not to others, so this king of low birth confers his patronage only on low-born people, but not on Aryas like thee; so the other king, who is possessed of power to distinguish between men and men, may be courted.”

All these disaffected persons, when acquiescing to the above proposals, may be made under a solemn compact (paṇakarmaṇā) to form a combination together with the spies to achieve their [26] end.^[1]

Likewise friends of a foreign king may also be won over by means of persuasion and rewards, while implacable enemies may be brought round by sowing dissensions, by threats, and by pointing out the defects of their master.

[ Thus ends Chapter XIV, “Winning Over Factions for or against an Enemy’s Cause in an Enemy’s State.” in Book I, “Concerning Discipline” of the Arthaśāstra of Kauṭilya.]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

In śloka-metre till the close of the chapter.