His own mildness, the severity of his punishments, his inactivity
and heedlessness, O chief of the gods, and the deceitful contrivances
well applied (by his foes), ruin a foolish ruler. That king who can
conquer these four faults and counteract the deceitful contrivances of
his enemies succeeds, without doubt, in smiting them all. When only one
minister (without needing any help) is competent to accomplish a secret
object (of the king), the king should consult with that one minister only
in respect of such object. Many ministers, if consulted, endeavour to
throw the burden of the task upon one another's shoulders and even give
publicity to that object which should be kept secret. If consultation
with one be not proper, then only should the king consult with many. When
foes are unseen, divine chastisement should be invoked upon them; when
seen, the army, consisting of four kinds of forces, should be moved.[312]
The king should first use the arts of producing disunion, as also those
of conciliation. When the time for each particular means comes, that
particular means should be applied. At times, the king should even
prostrate himself before a powerful foe. It is again desirable that
acting heedfully himself, he should seek to compass the victor's
destruction when the latter becomes heedless. By prostrating one's self,
by gift of tribute, by uttering sweet words, one should humble one's self
before a more powerful king. One should (when the occasion for such acts
comes) never do anything that may arouse the suspicions of one's powerful
foe.
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