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Concerning a Powerful Enemy
Concerning a Powerful Enemy, Book XII of Arthashastra, makes a mention of those secret methods with which the king could collect information regarding the strength of the powerful king and his resources.

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Concerning a Powerful Enemy equips the king to be alert regarding the power of those rulers who have more strength and inherit more resources. They always pose danger to the king with less power. As such the king on weaker side is supposed to use certain methods in order to make his kingdom safe from external attacks.

Concerning a Powerful Enemy primarily includes the duties of a messenger ; battle of intrigue; slaying the commander-in-chief, and inciting a circle of states; spies with weapons, fire, and poison; destruction of supply of stores, and of granaries; capture of the enemy by means of secret contrivances or by means of the army; and complete victory. As has been mentioned earlier a weaker king has been advised to surrender himself as well as his sons to the powerful king who will always have an upper hand on the weaker king. The books makes a difference between types of invaders who are of three types n namely a just conqueror, a demon like conqueror and a greedy conqueror. In case of their being more powerful it is advised that the weaker ruler should make efforts to send the messengers with a request for peace through treaty. Secondly, he should make all efforts to avert war situation s till it can be avoided and should find rescue in a treacherous war fare.

Concerning a Powerful Enemy further suggests the weaker ruler to resolve to the methods of treachery to win over a powerful enemy. During this he would require the strong network of spies. The other way with which these weaker rulers are supposed to save themselves is through battle of intrigue which is mainly centred on the successful role played by the spies which include the women as well. The spies by spreading false news can get the gates of the enemy area open. This invites battle in disguise.

The following chapters of the book include sending of commander-in-chief to all the allied countries as `Doota` to seek support and create a circle of ally states before a forceful war knocks as a danger to the boundaries of a weaker state. The war which is then fought will resolve to all the methods of warfare both straight as well as in disguise. It will not only include use of fire and poison and destroy the storage of food grains of the enemy but also by using methods like killing an enemy through secret contrivances. Within this enemy can be killed in areas where he usually visits as a place of worship. He can also be captured with the help of army finally leading to complete victory.

Thus, Concerning a Powerful Enemy again is another weapon provided by the Arthashastra which will equip a weaker king to save himself from foreign attacks on unequal terms.


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