मुनिरुवाच अथ चेत् पौरुषं किंचित् क्षत्रियात्मनि पश्यसि। ब्रवीमि तां तु ते नीति राज्यस्य प्रतिपत्तये।।।।
If, on the other hand, O Kshatriya, you think that you still possess any prowess, I shall describe to you about that line of policy which you may follow for recovering your kingdom.
तां चेच्छक्नोषि निर्मातुं कर्म चैव करिष्यसि। शृणु सर्वमशेषेण यत् त्वां वक्ष्यामि तत्त्वतः॥
If you can adopt that policy and try to exert yourself, you can still regain your prosperity. Listen attentively to all that I say to you fully.
आचरिष्यसि चेत् कर्म महतोऽर्थानवाप्स्यसि। राज्यं राज्यस्य मन्त्रं वा महतीं वा पुनः श्रियम्॥ अथैतद् रोचते राजन् पुनर्वृहि ब्रवीमि ते।
If you act according to those counsels, you may acquire immense wealth, your kingdom and kingly power and great prosperity. If you like it, O king, tell me, for then I shall describe to you that policy.
राजोवाच ब्रवीतु भगवान्नीतिमुपपन्नोऽस्म्यहं प्रभो॥ अमोघोऽयं भवत्वद्य त्वया सह समागमः।
The king said Tell me, O holy one, what you wish to say. I am willing to hear and act according to your advice. Let this my meeting with you to-day produce mighty results.
मुनिरुवाच हित्वा दम्भं च कामं च क्रोधं हर्ष भयं तथा॥ अप्यमित्राणि सेवस्व प्रणिपत्य कृताञ्जलिः।
Casting off pride, desire, anger and joy and fear, wait upon your very foes, humbling yourself and joining your hands.
तमुत्तमेन शौचेन कर्मणा चाभिधारय॥ दातुमर्हति ते वित्तं वैदेहः सत्यसंगरः।
Do you wait upon Janaka the king of Mithila, always performing good and pure acts. The highly truthful king of Videha will, forsooth, give you great wealth.
प्रमाणं सर्वभूतेषु प्रग्रहं च भविष्यसि॥ ततः सहायान् सोत्साहान् ल्लप्स्यसेऽव्यसनाशुचीन्।
You will then become the right arm of that king and secure the confidence of all persons. As an outcome of this, you will win over many courageous and persevering allies, pure in behaviour, and free from the seven cardinal faults.
वर्तमानः स्वशास्त्रेण संयतात्मा जितेन्द्रियः॥ अभ्युद्धरति चात्मानं प्रसादयति च प्रजाः।
By following his duties, à person of subdued self and having his senses under control, succeeds in raising himself and cheering others.
तेनैवत्व धृतिमता श्रीमता चाभिसत्कृतः॥ प्रमाणं सर्वभूतेषु गत्वा च ग्रहणं महत्।
Honoured by Janaka enducd with intelligence and prosperity, you will certainly become the right hand of that king and enjoy the confidence of all.
ततः सुहृद्बलं लब्ध्वा मन्त्रयित्वा सुमन्त्रिभिः॥ आन्तरैर्भेदयित्वारीन् बिल्वं बिल्वेन भेदय। परैर्वा संविदं कृत्वा बलमप्यस्य घातय॥
Having then mustered a large force and held consultations with good ministers, do you create dissensions among your enemies, and setting them against one another, break them all like a person breaking a Vilva with a Vilva. Or, making peace with the enemies of your foe, destroy the latter's power.
अलभ्या ये शुभा भावाः स्त्रियश्चाच्छादनानि च। शय्यासनानि यानानि महार्हाणि गृहाणि च॥ पक्षिणो मृगजातानि रसगन्धः फलानि च। तेष्वेव सज्जयेथास्त्वं यथा नश्यत्वयं परः॥
You will then cause your enemies to be attached to such good things as are not easily · got at, to beautiful women and clothes, beds and seats and cars, all very costly, and houses, and birds and animals of various species, and juices and perfumes and fruits, so that your foe may be ruined of himself.
यद्येवं प्रतिषेद्धव्यो यापेक्षणमर्हति। न जातु विवृतः कार्यः शत्रुः सुनयमिच्छता॥
If one's enemy be thus managed, or if he is treated in differently, one, who wishes to act according to good policy, should never allow that foe to know it at all.
रमस्व परमामित्रे विषये प्राज्ञसम्मतः। भजस्व श्वेतकाकीयैर्मित्रधर्ममनर्थकैः॥
Following the conduct approved of the wise, do you enjoy every king of pleasure in the territories of your enemy, and imitating the conduct of the dog, the deer and the crow, be outwardly a friend to your enemies.
आरम्भांश्चास्य महतो दुश्चरांश्च प्रयोजय। नदीवच्च विरोधांश्च बलवद्भिर्विरुध्यताम्॥
Make them undertake works which are difficult of accomplishment. See also that they enter into hostilities with powerful enemies.
उद्यानानि महार्हाणि शयनान्यासनानि च। प्रतिभोगसुखेनैव कोशमस्य विरेचय॥
Making them attached to pleasure gardens and rich beds and seats, do you, by offering such objects of enjoyment, exhaust your eneiny's treasury.
यज्ञदाने प्रशाध्यस्मै ब्राह्मणाननुवर्ण्य तान्। ते त्वां प्रतिकरिष्यन्ति तं भोक्ष्यन्ति वृका इव॥
Advising your enemy to celebrate sacrifices and making gifts, do you please the Brahmanas. The latter will do good to you in return, and devour your enemy like wolves.
असंशयं पुण्यशीलः प्राप्नोति परमां गतिम्। त्रिविष्टपे पुण्यतमं स्थानं प्राप्नोति मानवः॥
Forsooth, a person of righteous deeds acquires a high end. By such deeds men earn highly happy regions in heaven.
कोशक्षये त्वमित्राणां वशं कौसल्य गच्छति। उभयत्र प्रयुक्तस्य धर्मेणाधर्म एव च।॥ फलार्थमूलं व्युच्छिद्येत् तेन नन्दन्ति शत्रवः। न चास्मै मानुषं कर्म दैवमस्योपवर्णय॥
If the treasury of your foes be exhausted, every one of them, O prince of Koshala, may be subdued. The treasury is the source of happiness in heaven and victory on Earth. It is in consequence of their wealth that enemies enjoy such happiness. The treasury, therefore, should by every means be drained. Do not speak highly of manliness in the presence of your foe, but speak highly of destiny.
असंशयं दैवपरः क्षिप्रमेव विनश्यति। याजयैनं विश्वजिता सर्वस्वेन वियुज्य तम्॥
Forsooth, the man who depends too much on acts of worship of the gods soon meets with ruin. Making your enemy perform the great sacrifice called Vishvajit and divest him by that means of all his wealth.
ततो गच्छसि सिद्धार्थः पीड्यमानं महाजनम्। योगधर्ममिदं पुण्यं कंचिदस्योपवर्णयेत्॥
Through this your object object will be accomplished. You may then inform your enemy of the fact that the best men in his kingdom are being oppressed, and point out some great asceit a master of Yoga.
अपि त्यागं बुभूषेत कच्चिद् गच्छेदनामयम्। सिद्धेनौषधियोगेन सर्वशत्रुविनाशिना। नागानश्वान् मनुष्यांश्च कृतकैरुपघातयेत्॥
Your enemy will then desire to adopt renunciation and retire into the woods seeking liberation. You will then, with the help of drugs prepared by boiling highly efficacious herbs and plants, and of artificial salts, kill the elephants and horses and men.
एते चान्ये च बहवो दम्भयोगाः सुचिन्तिताः। शक्या विषहता कर्तुं पुरुषेण कृतात्मना॥
These and the many other well-laid plans exist, but they are all connected with fraud. An intelligent person can thus destroy the denizens of a hostile kingdom with poison,