Should I have
peace or war with them? O Kanika, advise me truly, for I shall do as thou
biddest.
"Vaisampayana continued, 'That best of Brahmanas, thus addressed by the
king, freely answered him in these pointed words well-agreeing with the
import of political science."
"Listen to me, O sinless king, as I answer thee. And, O best of Kuru kings,
it behoveth thee not to be angry with me after hearing all I say. Kings
should ever be ready with uplifted maces (to strike when necessary), and
they should ever increase their prowess. Carefully avoiding all faults
themselves they should ceaselessly watch over the faults of their foes and
take advantage of them. If the king is always ready to strike, everybody
feareth him. Therefore the king should ever have recourse to chastisement
in all he doeth. He should so conduct himself that, his foe may not detect
any weak side in him. But by means of the weakness he detecteth in his foe
he should pursue him (to destruction). He should always conceal, like the
tortoise concealing its body, his means and ends, and he should always
keep back his own weakness from the sight of others. And having begun a
particular act, he should ever accomplish it thoroughly. Behold, a thorn,
if not extracted wholly, produceth a festering sore. The slaughter of a
foe who doeth thee evil is always praiseworthy. If the foe be one of great
prowess, one should watch for the hour of his disaster and then kill him
without any scruples.
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