Consideration of Annoyance in the Rear

Consideration of Annoyance in the Rear, as mentioned in chapter III of book IX in Arthashastra, indicates towards the danger caused by the such groups like the traitors, enemy as well as wild tribes who augment on all sides of the kingdom add slight annoyance and is capable of conspiring with the members of one`s own state about the acquisition of considerable profit in the front. Among the Work of the Invader, the conqueror may confront some kinds of intrigue placed by the local people as well as the foreigners.

Consideration of Annoyance in the Rear further mentions that when under the protection of another king one has reached a stage in which he confronts both the situations i.e. slight annoyance in the rear and considerable profit in the front ,then one should endeavour in such a way so as to cause loss to the enemy including impoverishment of his servants and friends; while in case of acquiring profit in the front he should employ his chiefs and commanders of the army under the leadership of the heir apparent. In case the king himself endeavours to collect the profit in the front the he must make sure that he has ward off all annoyance in the rear; if in case he is struck with internal troubles he may take with him the suspected leaders while in case of external troubles he may proceed with a well organised strategy. The conqueror, after keeping hostages of the wives and sons of the suspected enemy and after creating a split within the troops of the officers in charge of waste lands and having placed them under the command of several chiefs the conqueror may decide to abandon his plan of going personally as shall have to attend to the internal politics which is troubling.

Consideration of Annoyance in the Rear mentions that the provocation of any minister, priest, and commander in chiefs as well as heir apparent is termed as internal trouble. The king is advised to get rid of such internal troubles by either giving up his own faults or by exhibiting the intensity of danger arising from external enemy. Arthashastra lays down a number of methods to overcome such conspiracies and advises the conqueror to find remedies to the troubles placed by the chiefs, priests etc.

Consideration of Annoyance in the Rear further mentions that the provocations posed by the number of chief in the district, officers in charge of the boundaries, chief of a wild tribe or a conquered king shall be termed as external troubles. The king should overcome such conspiracy by setting one against the other as well as by using other war strategies with the help of the king in the front while he can use other methods of capturing and imprisoning the conspirator. Like in case of internal troubles Arthashastra renders a number of remedies to fight the external troubles as well.

Thus, Consideration of Annoyance in the Rear mainly intends to caution the conqueror of all the intrigues which shall engulf him the moment he gains considerable profit in the front. He shall have to use his personal qualities to assess such leading dangers.