Agreement for acquisition of Friend or Gold

Agreement for the acquisition of Friend or Gold which is included in chapter IX of book VI in Arthashastra mentions three kinds of assets which a conqueror possesses from the march of combined forces; these include a friend with a good character, gold as rich source of income and territory which is gained by acquiring the areas under trouble. Kautilya lays a lot of stress in selecting the right type of friend he divided into two types - friends acquired on equal terms which stands for even peace while friend with unequal terms which stands for uneven peace. Further Kautilya also differentiates between long lasting friends with non-submissive nature and temporary friends with submissive nature. Both have separate rolls to play which shall be beneficial to the conqueror.

Agreement for the acquisition of Friend or Gold then specifies that it is always better to have friends on equal terms which shall invest even peace every where whereas friendship on uneven terms shall spread misfortune. Regarding the other two types which include long lasting friend with non submissive nature and temporary friend with submissive nature, Kautilya preferred temporary friend with submissive nature is better for such a friend will be true friend till he is helpful for the real characteristic of friendship lies in providing help to others. Kautilya further suggests that long lasting friends with limited prospects is better till he does not do any harm. Further Kautilya differentiates between big friend and small friend. Among these a small friend is more preferred by kautilya who claims that a small friend with limited virtue can be easily used by the conqueror in any way which suits him while in case of a big friend the amount of risk to rouse him is larger and the risk as well is bigger. In case of selecting army as well, Kautilya differentiates between a scattered troops and non-submissive standing army in which he prefers to have a non-submissive standing army which can be easily converted to submissive army by the methods like conciliation and made to charge any time the conqueror requires; whereas it shall be time consuming and rather difficult at times of need to acquire and unite all scattered army from various corners of the kingdom.

Agreement for the acquisition of Friend or Gold then concentrates in selecting a fiend with large territory and immense gold. Kautilya makes a mention that which is more preferable, a friend with vast population or a friend with immense gold. While a vast population is always useful to provide a strong army but according to Kautilya a friend with immense gold is more preferable as gold asset is always desirable whereas army is required on at times of war. Further in comparison between friend with gold and friend with territory, Kautilya prefers a friend with vast territory.

Agreement for the acquisition of Friend or Gold as such lays down certain parameters within which the relationship between a conqueror and his friend revolves. These include - Long-standing, submissive, easy to be roused, coming from fathers and grandfathers, powerful, and never of a contradictory nature, is a good friend; and these are said to be the six qualities of a good friend; a friend who maintains friendship without any intention is a long-lasting friend; that friend whose munificence is enjoyable in various ways is a submissive friend, and is said to be of three forms: one who is enjoyable only by one, one who is enjoyable by two (the. enemy and the conqueror), and one who is enjoyable by all is third; a friend who either for the sake of security or for helping in trouble is a friends of submissive nature; also the parameters include friends with amicable nature, and friends of the enemy who are inimical to the conqueror.

Thus, Kautilya in Agreement for the acquisition of Friend or Gold stresses that the strength of the conqueror increases with the assets like friend of good and moral character, friend with lot of gold and a friend with vast territory which shall be able to absorb a huge mass of population. As such a conqueror should be alert in selecting friends as they are the closest to the king.