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respect to availability of water, fodder, grains and fuel.
The king is advised to fight in a war in accordance with principles of justice (Niri Yuddha). If the enemy fights unjustly, then he should be suitably countered. Thus in war success is held to be more important than fairness at least where survival is concerned. This reminds one of the Mahabharata where the Pandavas wished to fight fairly but were forced to use devious means to survive in the face of obvious unfairness. Even so, the king is advised not to kill ascetics, Brahmanas, unarmed people, those who submit or take to flight or again are in obvious distress. Nor should non-combatants, the sick, children, or religious people be killed. Where the enemy does not come out to fight he should be beseiged and forced to surrender.Creating dissensions in the ranks of the enemy should be freely used. During a seige, the logistic support of the enemy should be cut off. The enemy should be alienated from his own supporters. He should ultimately be replaced by a person of his own family who would be loyal and pleased by gifts. After the victory the soldiers should be suitably rewarded. What a soldier captures of grains or cattle, would belong to him. But chariots, horses, elephants, precious stones belong to the king.
Such is the account of yuddhaniti or military policy. Its first assumption is that peace is to be preferred to war and that SO far as possible one ought to seek a diplomatic victory in interstate relations. This attitude is quite different from that of applauding digvijaya, the restless search for power and glory through military adventure.
Another assumption is that if war must be fought against an aggressive enemy, it ought to be fought by fair methods. Unfair methods are permissible only when the enemy uses unfair methods and one's survival is at stake. A humane and civilized code is outlined for the conduct of war. The non-combatnats are required to be spared the horrors of war. Care is to be bestowed on the sick and the disabled, women and children.
In the third place, success in war requires full information drawn from emissaries abroad and spies, careful selection of commanders, ample preparation, support of internal administration, logistics, the use of proper marches, camps and formations and finally faith and heroism. War is a game of caution and boldness, preparation and decision.
On Dandaniti Hemachandra begins by recalling that the Jaina Agama mentions seven types of it - "Tah syur hākāra-mākāra dhikkārāh paribhasanam/Mandale bandhanam Kārākṣepaṇam cangadhandanam//". These seven have been mentioned before. Hemacandra adds that an eighth variety has also been accepted by those versed in niti and
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