saMSraya vRttiH - On seeking shelter

Having established the fact that there are six measures dealing with situations in the circle of kings, now the discussion starts how to apply them on the field.

1. If the advancement and harm is same by taking either samdhi or vigraha one should resort to samdhi. By vigraha there is a risk of damage, expenditure etc.,

2. By the above statement, cANakya explained the sate of Asana and yAna as well. One should prefer Asana in the situation of similar results with both Asana and yAna.

3. When the same happens between dvaidI-bhAva and samSraya one should opt dvaidI-bhava, as a king who seeks shelter will end up doing the activity for the advancement of the king who has provided the shelter; where as the dvaidI-bhava still gives freedom to act on one's own advancement.

So, samsraya is the last option for a leader! and cANakya discusses about that as the first topic in shADguNyam!! 

One should seek shelter from the king who is more powerful than the opponent. It is better to seek shelter from a king who is not a natural enemy to the king. If such a king is not found, as a last resort one should surrender to the opponent himself.

One should keep watching the situation of the king who provided the shelter. When the shelter provider has weakened, king should move away from his shelter.

If there is fear simultaneously from two opponents, one should seek refuge under the powerful opponent. This has to be done only after considering the option of dvaidI-bhAva i.e., come to an agreement of peace with one and continue conflict with the other.

If the situation of two opponents simultaneously mount pressure, one should seek shelter from the most justly behaved middle king.

Finally, a concluding piece of advice:
प्रियो यस्य भवेद्योवा प्रियोऽस्य कतरस्तयोः ।
प्रियो यस्य स तं गच्छेत् इति आश्रयगतिः परा ॥
If there is a question weather to seek shelter from "who likes you" or "whom you like"? Then surely get shelter from the one "who likes you" - This is the supreme method of surrender.

I think this one is an evergreen advice to one and all dealing with any type of protection. Go to the one "who likes you" rather than the one "whom you like"!!!

Thus we reach the end of 2nd chapter of shADguNyam.

Introduction to shADguNyam - six measures of foreign policy

As explained in last post the circle of kings have their excellences and interact with each other based on their respective policies.

Seventh book of artha SAstra is called shADguNyam. shaT means six, guNa approximately means measure or act.

saMdhi = agreement of peace
vigraha = defend by waging war or being offensive and restricting the opponent
Asana = do nothing or wait and watch
yAna = march forward for a war
samSraya = get shelter under a superior power
dvaidI-bhAva = make saMdhi (with one power) and vigraha (with the other)

Are all the six above valid? some earlier teachers like vAtavyAdhi (probably uddhava) of artha SAstra felt there are only two, the first two saMdhi and vigraha are the only valid policies. Either you make peace or you wage a war with the opponent.

But, wait and watch is a policy, similarly marching ahead before opponent starts his offence or gaining help from a more powerful king before opponent moves are also valid policies; similarly simultaneous sandhi with one power and continued war with another is a situational policy; that is also very valid. Hence, kauTilya concludes that there are indeed six measures of foreign policy called shADguNyam.

A leader / king's power / position within the circle of kings i.e., the maNDala, will either diminish (kshya) or remain (sthana) or improve (vRddhi). It is very important to decide honestly the direction in which the time is leading to. 

Taking whatever of above six means there is a larger improvement, one should take that. Taking any of the measures the improvement can be made faster one should take that.

By taking any of the above measures if there is diminishing of current status that should not be taken.

If there is going to be same amount of loss to self and opponent or similar benefit to self and opponent then one should take the route of wait and watch. But not for too long!

So, एवं षड्भिर्गुणैरेतैः स्थितः प्रकृति मण्डले ।
पर्येषेत क्षयात् स्थानं स्थानात् वृद्धिंच कर्मसु ॥

A king established himself in the maNDala of nature, should continuously act in a way that he moves up from the point of diminishing to stability and stability to improvement using the sixflod measures. 

Thus we reach the end of first chapter of seventh book of artha SAstra that establishes the six fold measures and gives a fundamental principle of kshya, sthana and vRddhi using the shADguNyam. This is the 99th chapter from the beginning of artha SAstra.