STRATEGIES FOR WAR AND PEACE- काकोलुकीयं- PTKU-3

SUBHASHITHANI: 420

खनन्न् आखु-बिलं सिंहः पाषाण-शकलाकुलम् ।
प्राप्नोति नख-भङ्गं हि फलं वा मूषको भवेत् ॥ १६ ॥

khanann ākhu-bilaṃ siṃhaḥ pāṣāṇa-śakalākulam |
prāpnoti nakha-bhaṅgaṃ hi phalaṃ vā mūṣako bhavet || 3.16 ||

A lion digging the hole of a mouse filled with stones hurts his claws; even if he succeeds ,all he will get is just a mouse!

तस्मान् न स्यात् फलं यत्र पुष्टं युद्धं तु केवलम् ।
न हि तत् स्वयम् उत्पाद्यं कर्तव्यं न कथञ्चन ॥ १७ ॥

tasmān na syāt phalaṃ yatra puṣṭaṃ yuddhaṃ tu kevalam |
na hi tat svayam utpādyaṃ kartavyaṃ na kathañcana || 3.17 ||

Therefore, one should not undertake a war under any circumstances, where the benefits are meagre and all that happens is a war for nothing.

बलीयसा समाक्रान्तो वैतसीं वृत्तिम् आश्रयेत् ।
वाञ्छन्न् अभ्रंशिनीं लक्ष्मीं न भौजङ्गी कदाचन ॥ १८ ॥

balīyasā samākrānto vaitasīṃ vṛttim āśrayet |
vāñchann abhraṃśinīṃ lakṣmīṃ na bhaujaṅgī kadācana || 3.18 ||

One desirous of continued prosperity should imitate the action of a cane plant (which bends when necessary) when attacked by a more powerful enemy and never follow that of a serpent ( which attacks the enemy all the time and gets killed).

कुर्वन् हि वैतसीं वृत्तिं प्राप्नोति महतीं श्रियम् ।
भुजङ्ग-वृत्तिम् आपन्नो वधम् अर्हति केवलम् ॥ १९ ॥

kurvan hi vaitasīṃ vṛttiṃ prāpnoti mahatīṃ śriyam |
bhujaṅga-vṛttim āpanno vadham arhati kevalam || 3.19 ||

Following the cane-plant strategy one attains great heights; following the snake mentality will lead to danger and death.

 कौर्मं सङ्कोचम् आस्थाय प्रहारान् अपि मर्षयेत् ।

काले काले च मतिमान् उत्तिष्ठेत् कृष्ण-सर्पवत् ॥ २० ॥

kaurmaṃ saṅkocam āsthāya prahārān api marṣayet |
kāle kāle ca matimān uttiṣṭhet kṛṣṇa-sarpavat || 3.20 ||

A talented man should contract himself like a tortoise and even willing to take blows inflicted by the enemy; and when the opportune time comes should strike like a black serpent.

आगतं विग्रहं विद्वान् उपायैः प्रशमं नयेत् ।
विजयस्य ह्य् अनित्यत्वाद् रभसेन न सम्पतेत् ॥ २१ ॥

āgataṃ vigrahaṃ vidvān upāyaiḥ praśamaṃ nayet |
vijayasya hy anityatvād rabhasena na sampatet || 3.21 ||

Seeing the war to be imminent, one should try to avoid it by efficient means of peace, for no one can be sure of the results of war; one should avoid haste in deciding to go on war.

बलिना सह योद्धव्यम् इति नास्ति निदर्शनम् ।
प्रतिवातं न हि घनः कदाचिद् उपसर्पति ॥ २२ ॥

balinā saha yoddhavyam iti nāsti nidarśanam |
prativātaṃ na hi ghanaḥ kadācid upasarpati || 3.22 ||

No political treatise recommends war with a powerful enemy; a cloud never moves in a direction contrary to the wind.

( The advice of one of the minister Ujjeevin concludes here:  ” And that is why I recommend Sandhi as the only way forward. )

From here on another minister by name Sanjevin starts his advice:

शत्रुणा न हि सन्दध्यात् सुश्लिष्टेनापि सन्धिना ।
सुतप्तम् अपि पानीयं शमयत्य् एव पावकम् ॥ २३ ॥

śatruṇā na hi sandadhyāt suśliṣṭenāpi sandhinā |
sutaptam api pānīyaṃ śamayaty eva pāvakam ||3.23 ||

One should not make friends with an enemy, even if he seeks a truce. Because, even when the water is hot it will still extinguish fire.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH