Recruitment of Lost Power, as mentioned in chapter XIV of Book VII in Arthashastra, advises the king who has been attacked by the combined army of the enemy foe to enter into an interaction with the enemy camp and try to convince them towards his intention of peace before he finally resolves to war which shall be destructive for both. The conqueror shall make all efforts to break the combination of enemy allies and prove his innocence in making peace with the enemy. He can do this by offering gold and other precious gifts and deceive them to believe his false intention as true. Once accepted his innocence the conqueror shall then be in a position to break the combination of the enemy and secure his own position.
Recruitment of Lost Power, along with other methods of warfare also suggests that before the conqueror adopts direct warfare, he should also employ other methods to avoid destructive warfare particularly when his enemy is stronger to him. The conqueror can then set a leader against the weak king among the enemy camp and try to win his confidence by placing inducements and then gather weak power under him. On some instances a combination of wicked leaders may intend to break such treaty and suspect the conqueror`s intention. Thus it remains perpetually important for the conqueror to break the enemy`s combination. Once done that he can step further. The conqueror in the absence of a leader, the conqueror may win him over who is the inciter of the combination; or who is of a resolute mind, or who has endeared himself to his people, or who, from greed or fear, joined the combination, or who is afraid of the conqueror, or whose friendship with the conqueror is based upon some consanguinity of royalty, or who is a friend, or who is a wandering enemy-in the order of enumeration can then take any one of the king and win him over to his side .
Recruitment of Lost Power advises the conqueror to apply the methods like conciliation and salutation as well as surrendering one self to convince the newly made friend about the innocence of his intention. This shall also include entering into marital relationship with them so that new relationships come up. If the risk of an attack still continues to prevail then one on condition supply the enemy with money and army and make all efforts to make peace with the enemy on definite terms with reference to time, place, and work. As such this gives a scope to the conqueror who is gather all wise men in his court while his main effort will be to protect his own people and all the Elements of Sovereignty in which the irrigation work is the source of crops; mines are the source of whatever is used which is valuable in the army; timber forests are source of raw materials which are required for construction of forts, chariots etc; elephant forests are a source of elephants while the pasture land is a source of pastures like cows, cattle etc, all these need to be secured from destruction in a war. Thus the conqueror should make all efforts to provide security to these Elements of Sovereignty.
Thus Recruitment of Lost Power advises the king to find new avenues to secure his kingdom which includes his people as well as his territory whenever he is surrounded by the strong and powerful enemies. The aim of this chapter is to reiterate that with the aid of one own party, power of deliberation, the treasury, and the army one can get rid of the clutches of one`s enemies.
