The weaker ruler should, under such circumstances, carefully avoid
every act that may awaken suspicion. A victorious king, again, should not
trust his vanquished foes, for they that are vanquished always remain
wakeful. There is nothing, O best of duties, that is more difficult of
accomplishment than the acquisition of prosperity, O ruler of the
immortals, by persons of a restless disposition. The very existence of
persons of restless disposition is fraught with danger. Kings should,
therefore, with close attention, ascertain their friends and foes. If a
king becomes mild, he is disregarded. If he becomes fierce, he inspires
people with dread. Therefore, do not be fierce. Do, not, again, be mild.
But be both fierce and mild. As a rapid current ceaselessly cats away the
high bank and causes large landslips, even so heedlessness and error
cause a kingdom to be ruined. Never attack many foes at the same time. By
applying the arts of conciliation, or gift, or production of disunion, O
Purandara, they should be ground one by one. As regards the remnant,
(being few in number,) the victor may behave peacefully towards them. An
intelligent king, even if competent for it, should not begin to crush all
(his foes) at once.[313] When a king happens to have a large army
consisting of sixfold forces[314] and teeming with horse, elephants,
cars, foot, and engines, all devoted to him, when he thinks himself
superior to his foe in many respects upon a fair comparison, then should
he openly smite the foe without hesitation.
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