Chapter 10 - Agreement of Peace for the Acquisition of Land

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

The agreement made under the condition, “Let us acquire land,” is any agreement of peace for the acquisition of land.

Of the two kings thus entering into an agreement, whoever acquires a rich and fertile land with standing crops over-reaches the other.

The acquisition of rich land being equal, whoever acquires such land by putting down a powerful enemy, over reaches the other; for not only does he acquire territory, but also destroys an enemy, and thereby augments his own power. True, there is beauty in acquiring land by putting down a weak enemy; but the land acquired will also be poor, and the king in the neighbourhood, who has hitherto been a friend, will now become an enemy.

The enemies being equally strong, he who acquires territory after beating a fortified enemy over-reaches the other; for the capture of a fort is conducive to the protection of territory and to the destruction of wild tribes.

As to the acquisition of land from a wandering {GL_NOTE::} enemy, there is the difference of having a powerful or powerless enemy close to the acquired territory; for the land which is close to a powerless enemy is easily maintained, while that bordering upon the territory of a powerful enemy has to be kept at the expense of men and money.

Which is better, the acquisition of a rich land close to a constant enemy, or that of sterile land near to a temporary enemy?

My teacher says that a rich land with a constant enemy is better, inasmuch as it yields much wealth to maintain a strong army, by which the enemy can be put down.

Not so, says Kauṭilya: for, a rich land creates many enemies, and the constant enemy will ever be an enemy, whether or not he is helped (with men and money to conciliate him); but a temporary enemy will be quiet either from fear or favour. That land, on the border of which there are a number of forts giving shelter to bands of thieves, Mlecchas and wild tribes, is a land with a constant enemy; and that which is of reverse character is one with a temporary enemy.

Which is better, a small piece of land, not far, or an extensive piece of land, very far?

A small piece of land, not far, is better, inasmuch as it can be easily acquired, protected, and defended, whereas the other is of a reverse nature.

Of the above two kinds of land, which is better, that which can be maintained by itself, or that which requires external armed force to maintain?

The former is better, as it can be maintained with the army and money produced by itself, whereas the latter is of a reverse character as a military station.

Which is better, acquisition of land from a stupid or a wise king?

That acquired from a stupid king is better, as it can be easily acquired and secured, and cannot be taken back, whereas that obtained from a wise king, beloved of his subjects, is of a reverse nature.

Of two enemies, of whom one can only be harassed and another is reducible, acquisition of land from the latter is better; for when the latter is attacked, he, having little or no help, begins to run away, taking his army and treasure with him, and he is deserted by his subjects, whereas the former does not do so, as he has the help of his forts and friends.

Of two fortified kings, one who has his forts on a plain is more easily reduced than the other owning a fort in the centre of a river; for a fort in a plain can be easily assailed, destroyed or captured along with the enemy in it, whereas a fort surrounded by a river requires twice as much effort to capture, and supplies the enemy with water and other necessaries of life.

Of two kings, one owning a fort surrounded by a river, and another having mountainous fortifications, seizing the former’s land is better, for a fort in the centre of a river can be assailed by a bridge formed of elephants made to stand in a row in the river, or by wooden bridges, or by means of boats; and the river will not always be deep and can be emptied of its water, whereas a fort on a mountain is of a self defensive nature, and not easy to besiege or to ascend; and where one portion of the army defending it is routed out, the other portions can escape unhurt, and such a fort is of immense service, as it affords facilities to throw down heaps of stones and trees over the enemy.

Which is easier, seizing land from those who fight on plains, or from those who fight from low grounds?

Seizing the land from the latter is easier, inasmuch as they have to fight in time and space of adverse nature, whereas the former can fight anywhere and at any time.

Of the two enemies, one fighting from ditches and another from heights (khanakākāśayodhibhyām [khanaka-ākāśa-yodhin]), seizing land from the former is better; for they can be serviceable, inasmuch as they fight from ditches and with weapons in hand, whereas the latter can only fight with weapons in hand.

* Whoever, well-versed in the science of polity, wrests land from such and other enemies will outshine both his allies in combination with him and enemies out of combination.

[Thus ends Chapter X, “Agreement of Peace for the Acquisition of Land,” in the Section of “Agreement for the Acquisition of a Friend, Gold or Land, and Agreement for Undertaking a Work,” in Book VII, “The End of the Six-fold Policy” of the Arthaśāstra of Kauṭilya. End of the hundred and eigth chapter from the beginning.]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Observe the difference between a wandering enemy (cala śatru) and an entrenched enemy (sthita śatru).