Competitors and Collaborators / Six Strategies

Competitors and Collaborators
 With whom there is unending confrontation is enemy.
 Competitors and opponents do wish to become collaborators.
 Friends and enemies become because of some reason.
 With strong opponent treaty is to be done.
 With weak and ineligible opponent treaty is not to be done.
 Brightness of opponent is sufficient reason for concluding
agreement keeping own self respect intact.
 Unheated metals do not join together.
 Only when opponent is weak, strong can attack the weak.
 Never fight with equally strong one.
 When equals fight, both will perish.
 Carefully watch activities of adversaries.
 Let there be unity in agreement.
 It is essential to safe guard own enterprise from harmful
activities of adversaries.
 Joining the weak is cause for grief.

Six Strategies to deal with Competition / Collaboration
1. Sandhi – (Treaty – Agreement – Peace )
2. Vigraham – (Confrontation, Competition, War)
3. Asanam – (Staying put, Stand off, Status quo, Waiting for
proper time)
4. Sharanam – (Seeking shelter)
5. Yaanam – (Moving, Marching, Acquiring new territories )
6. Dwaidhi bhaava – (Dual policy)

Chanakya says these are six measures, because of difference in
situations.Among them:
1. Entering into treaty is peace.
2. Doing injury is war
3. Remaining indifferent is staying quiet.
4. Augmentation of powers is marching.
5. Submitting to other is seeking shelter
6. Resorting to peace with one and war with another is dual policy.

Chanakya applied, practiced and succeeded in each of these strategies
in dealing with Alexander, Nandas, Cellucus, Parvataka (Porus),
Malayakethu, Vaircohana, Rakshasha and many other leaders. With
the help of these strategies he assured victory.