• Advice on how to rule is found in two early Indian books, the Code of Manu, dating perhaps to the second century C.E., and the Arthashastra, attributed to Kautilya, with material dating from the fourth century B.C.E. to the fourth century C.E. Both books cover many topics in addition to the advice on dealing with enemies excerpted below.

“The Law for the King” from the Code of Manu

“[The King] should recognize that his immediate neighbor is his enemy, as also anyone rendering assistance to the enemy; that his enemy’s immediate neighbor is an ally; and that the one beyond these two is neutral. He should prevail over them by conciliation and the other strategies, employed both separately and collectively, and by valor and policy. . . .

When he is convinced that his future dominance is certain and that any immediate disadvantage is slight, then he should resort to an alliance. When he believes that all his subjects are exceedingly content and that he himself is overwhelmingly powerful, then he should consider waging war. When he believes in his heart that his own army is in high spirit and prosperous and that the opposite is true of his adversary, then he should march into battle against his enemy. When he is weak in terms of mounted units and infantry, then he should diligently remain stationary, while gradually appeasing the enemy. When the king believes that the enemy is stronger in every respect, then he should divide his army in two and accomplish his objective. When he has become extremely vulnerable to his enemy’s forces, then he should quickly seek asylum with a strong and righteous king. Should that king keep both his own subjects and the forces of his enemy in check, he should always serve him like a teacher with all his strength. Even in that case, however, if he notices a liability resulting from his asylum, he should, even in that condition, resort to the good war without hesitation. A politically astute king should employ all the strategies in such a way that his allies, neutrals, or enemies do not prevail over him.”

“Capture of the Enemy by Means of Secret Contrivances” from the Arthashastra

“Contrivances to kill the enemy may be formed in those places of worship and visit, which the enemy, under the influence of faith, frequents on occasions of worshipping gods and of pilgrimage. A wall or stone, kept by mechanical contrivance, may, by loosening the fastenings, be let to fall on the head of the enemy when he has entered into a temple; stones and weapons may be showered over his head from the topmost story; or a door-panel may be let to fall; or a huge rod kept over a wall or partly attached to a wall may be made to fall over him; or weapons kept inside the body of an idol may be thrown over his head; or the floor of those places where he usually stands, sits, or walks may be besprinkled with poison mixed with cowdung or with pure water; or, under the plea of giving him flowers, scented powders, or of causing scented smoke, he may be poisoned. . . .

Or on the occasion of feeding the people in honor of gods or of ancestors or in some festival, he may make use of poisoned rice and water, and having conspired with his enemy’s traitors, he may strike the enemy with his concealed army; or, when he is surrounded in his fort, he may lie concealed in a hole bored into the body of an idol after eating sacramental food and setting up an altar; . . . and when he is forgotten, he may get out of his concealment through a tunnel, and, entering into the palace, slay his enemy while sleeping, or loosening the fastening of a machine he may let it fall on his enemy; or when his enemy is lying in a chamber which is besmeared with poisonous and explosive substances, or which is made of lac [varnish], he may set fire to it.”

Sources: Patrick Olivelle, trans., Manu’s Code of Law (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005), pp. 162–163. © 2004 by the University of Texas Center for Asian Studies. Used by permission of Oxford University Press, USA; Kautilya, Kautilya’s Arthashastra, trans. R. Shamasastry (Bangalore: Government Press, 1915).

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