in subjection to another possessed of greater prowess.  Though weak, he should seek to afflict the stronger, and resolved upon this, continue to rule his own.[218] He should afflict the kingdom of the stronger one by means of weapons, fire and application of poison.  He should also cause dissensions amongst his counsellors and servants.  Vrihaspati has said that a king possessed of intelligence should always avoid war for acquisition of territory.  The acquisition of dominion should be made by the three well-known means (of conciliation, gift, and disunion).  The king that is possessed of wisdom should be gratified with those acquisition that are made by means of conciliation, gift, and disunion.  The king, O delighter of the Kurus, should take a sixth of the incomes of his subjects as tribute for meeting the expenses of protecting them.  He should also forcibly take away wealth, much or little (as the case may require), from the ten kinds of offenders mentioned in the scriptures, for the protection of his subjects.  A king should, without doubt, look upon his subjects as his own children.  In determining their disputes, however, he should not show compassion.  For hearing the complaints and answers of disputants in judicial suits, the king should always appoint persons possessed of wisdom and a knowledge of the affairs of the world, for the state really rests upon a proper administration of justice.  The king should set honest and trustworthy men over his mines, salt, grain, ferries, and elephant corps.  The king who always wields with propriety the rod of chastisement earns great merit.  The proper regulation of chastisement is the high duty of kings and deserves great applause.  The king should be conversant with the Vedas and their branches, possessed of wisdom, engaged in penances, charitable, and devoted to the performance of sacrifices.  All these qualities should permanently reside in a king.  If the king fails to administer justice, he can neither have heaven nor fame.  If a king be afflicted by a stronger one, the former, if possessed of intelligence, should seek refuge in a fort.  Assembling his friends for consultation, he should devise proper means.  Adopting the policy of conciliation and of producing dissensions, he should devise means for waging war with the assailant.  He should set the inhabitants of the woods on the high roads, and, if necessary, cause whole villages to be removed, transplanting all the inhabitants to minor towns or the outskirts of great cities.  Repeatedly assuring his wealthy subjects and the principal officers of the army, he should cause the inhabitants of the open country to take refuge in such forts as are well-protected.  He should himself withdraw all stores of grain (from the open country into his forts).  If that becomes impossible, he should destroy them completely by fire.  He should set men for destroying the crops on the fields of the enemy (by producing disunion among the enemy’s subjects).  Failing to do this, he