If he should happen to be a great warrior, his hour
of disaster also should be watched and he should then be induced to fly. O
sire, an enemy should never be scorned, however contemptible. A spark of
fire is capable of consuming an extensive forest if only it can spread
from one object to another in proximity. Kings should sometimes feign
blindness and deafness, for if impotent to chastise, they should pretend
not to notice the faults that call for chastisement. On occasions, such as
these, let them regard their bows as made of straw. But they should be
always on the alert like a herd of deer sleeping in the woods. When thy
foe is in thy power, destroy him by every means open or secret. Do not
show him any mercy, although he seeketh thy protection. A foe, or one that
hath once injured thee, should be destroyed by lavishing money, if
necessary, for by killing him thou mayest be at thy ease. The dead can
never inspire fear. Thou must destroy the three, five and seven
(resources) of thy foes. Thou must destroy thy foes root and branch. Then
shouldst thou destroy their allies and partisans. The allies and partisans
can never exist if the principal be destroyed. If the root of the tree is
torn up, the branches and twigs can never exist as before. Carefully
concealing thy own means and ends, thou shouldst always watch thy foes,
always seeking their flaws. Thou shouldst, O king, rule thy kingdom,
always anxiously watching thy foes. By maintaining the perpetual fire by
sacrifices, by brown cloths, by matted locks, and by hides of animals for
thy bedding, shouldst thou at first gain the confidence of thy foes, and
when thou has gained it thou shouldst then spring upon them like a wolf.
Pages:
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578