a checklist of strategies that a ruler should adopt

 

बकवच्चिन्तयेदर्थान्सिंहवच्च पराक्रमेत्।

वृकवच्चावलुम्पेत शशवच्च विनिक्षिपेत्॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे २६९५ महाभारते मनुस्मृत्यां

bakavaccintayedarthānsiṁhavacca parākramet|

vṛkavaccāvalumpeta śaśavacca vinikṣipet||

indiśce sprūce 2695 mahābhārate, manusmriti

This is how a prince should go about in warfare.

Even though the fish is swimming in the stream with great speed and taking a very zigzag path in water, the Crane sitting patiently on the banks would watch with lase-sharp concentration the location of the fish, ready to scoop away the victim at the right moment. A ruler must watch the accumulation of the wealth of his adversary with the same attitude, his eyes ever on the treasury of other rulers.

Like a lion, which although very small compared to an elephant, would find adequate strength and resourcefulness even to attack a huge elephant and subjugate it, the Prince should use his skill and ernegies to muster all his strenght and act at the right moment

When a wolf is on the lookout for his victims among flock of sheep well guarded by a sheperd, it would be hovering around stealthily, watching every movement of the entire flock and the sheperd, and discover the right moment when a solirary sheep is separate from the group for some fleeting moments. The wolf will capitalize on this momentary separation, pounce upon the prey, and make a nice supper of it. The prince bent on gaining wealth too should infiltrate and take away what he can manage, in the same manner as the wolf does.

In addition, while on a combat mission, if the enemies surround the prince from all sides, when he either is in possession of the bounties or is on the verge of capture, he should use all his speed and strategies to take flight or jump, run and move in devious paths like a hare, and should avoid getting caught.

We see a checklist of strategies that a ruler should adopt by a ruler while in warfare. We can find it in Rajadharma Chapter of Mahabharatham and Mnusmriti too.

Kva

राजा the prince बक वत् like the crane अर्थान् चिन्तयेत् should ever think and meditate upon wealth सिंहवत् like the lion पराक्रमेत् should attack वृक वत् like the wolf अवलुम्पेत watch, encircle, separate and capture शशवत् like hare विनिषिपेत् च take flight too