This explains the destruction of enemies and wild tribes:
- When an enemy in the rear and in the front, and an assailable enemy to be marched against happen together then the conqueror should adopt the following policy:
- The rear-enemy will usually lead the conqueror's frontal enemy to attack the conqueror's friend; then having set the enemy of the rear-enemy against the rear-enemy's ally
- and, having caused war between them, the conqueror should frustrate the rear-enemy's designs; likewise he should provoke hostilities between, the allies of the enemy of the rear-enemy and of the rear-enemy;
- he should also keep his frontal enemy's friend engaged in war with his own friend
- and with the help of his friend's friend, he should avert the attack, threatened by the friend of his enemy's friend;
- he should, with his friend's help, hold his rear-enemy at bay; and with the help of his friend's friend, he should prevent his rear-enemy attacking the enemy of the rear-enemy
- thus the conqueror should, through the aid of his friends, bring the Circle of States under his own sway both in his rear and front;
- he should send messengers and spies to reside in each of the states composing the Circle and having again and again destroyed the strength of his enemies he should keep his counsels concealed, being friendly with his friends;
- the works of him whose counsels are not kept concealed, will, though they may prosper for a time, perish as undoubtedly as a broken raft on the sea.
—Kautilya, in the Arthaśāstra, 7.13:36-44
