"'Yudhishthira said. "What are the well-known indications, O bull of
Bharata's race, of the (future) success of an army? I desire to know
them."
"'Bhishma said, "I shall tell thee, O bull of Bharata's race, all the
well-known indications of the (future) success of an army. When the gods
become angry and men are urged by fate, persons of learning, beholding
everything with the eye of heavenly knowledge, perform diverse auspicious
acts and expiatory rites including homa and the silent recitation of
mantras, and thus allay all evils.[304] That army in which the troops and
the animals are all undepressed and cheerful, O Bharata, is sure to win a
decided victory. The wind blows favourably from behind such troops.
Rainbows appear in the sky. The clouds cast their shadows upon them and
at times the sun shines upon them. The jackals become auspicious to them,
and ravens and vultures as well. When these show such regard to the army,
high success is sure to be won by it. Their (sacrificial) fires blaze up
with a pure splendour, the light going upwards and the smokeless flames
slightly bending towards the south. The libations poured thereon emit an
agreeable fragrance. These have been said to be the indications of future
success. The conchs and drums, blown and beat, send forth loud and deep
peals. The combatants become filled with alacrity. These have been said
to be the indications of future success. If deer and other quadrupeds be
seen behind or to the left of those that have already set out for battle
or of those that are about to set out, they are regarded auspicious. If
they appear to the right of the warriors while about to engage in
slaughter, that is regarded as an indication of success. If, however,
they make their appearance in the van of such persons, they indicate
disaster and defeat. If these birds, viz., swans and cranes and
Satapatras and Chashas utter auspicious cries, and all the able-bodied
combatants become cheerful, these are regarded as indications of future
success. They whose array blazes forth with splendour and becomes
terrible to look at in consequence of the sheen of their weapons,
machines, armour, and standards as also of the radiant complexion of the
faces of the vigorous men that stand within it, always succeed in
vanquishing their foes. If the combatants of a host be of pure behaviour
and modest deportment and attend to one another in loving-kindness, that
is regarded as an indication of future success. If agreeable sounds and
odors and sensations of touch prevail, and if the combatants become
inspired with gratitude and patience, that is regarded as the root of
success. The crow on the left of a person engaged in battle and on the
right of him who is about to engage in it, is regarded auspicious.
Appearing at the back, it indicates non-fulfilment of the objects in
view, while its appearance in the front forebodes danger. Even after
enlisting a large army consisting of the four kinds of forces, thou
shouldst, O Yudhishthira, first behave peacefully. If thy endeavours
after peace fail, then mayst thou engage in battle. The victory, O
Bharata, that one acquired by battle is very inferior. Victory in battle,
it seems, is dependent on caprice or destiny. When a large army breaks
and the troops begin to fly away, it is exceedingly difficult to check
their flight. The impetuosity of the flight resembles that of a mighty
current of water or of a frightened herd of deer. Some have broken. For
this, without adequate cause, others break, even they that are brave and
skilled in fight. A large army, consisting of even brave soldiers, is
like a large herd of Ruru deer.[305] Sometimes again it may be seen that
even fifty men, resolute and relying upon one another, cheerful and
prepared to lay down their lives, succeed in grinding enemies numerically
much superior. Sometimes even five, or six, or seven men, resolute and
standing close together, of high descent and enjoying the esteem of those
that know them, vanquish foes much superior to them in number. The
collision of battle is not desirable as long as it can be avoided. The
policy of conciliation, or producing disunion, and making gifts should
first be tried, the battle, it is said, should come after these. At the
very sight of a (hostile) force, fear paralyses the timid, even as at the
sight of the blazing bolt of heaven they ask, 'Oh, upon what would it
fall?'[306] Having ascertained that a battle is raging, the limbs of
those that go to join it, as also of him that is conquering, perspire
profusely.[307] The entire country, O king, (that is the seat of war),
becomes agitated and afflicted with all its mobile and immobile
population. The very marrow of embodied creatures scorched with the heat
of weapons, languishes with pain. A king should, therefore, on all
occasions, apply the arts of conciliation, mixing them with measures of
severity. When people are afflicted by foes, they always show a
disposition to come to terms.[308] Secret agents should be sent for
producing disunion amongst the allies of the foe. Having produced
disunion, it is very desirable that peace should then be made with that
king who happens to be more powerful than the foe (sought to be crushed).
If the invader does not proceed in the way, he can never succeed in
completely crushing his foe. In dealing with the foe, care should be
taken for hemming him in from all sides. Forgiveness always comes to
those that are good. It never comes to those that are bad. Listen now, O
Partha, to the uses of forgiveness and of severity. The fame of a king
who displays forgiveness after conquest spreads more widely. The very
foes of a person that is of a forgiving disposition trust him even when
he becomes guilty of a grave transgression. Samvara has said that having
afflicted a foe first, forgiveness should be shown afterwards, for a
wooden pole, if made straight without the application of heat in the
first instance, very soon assumes its former state. Persons skilled in
the scriptures do not, however, applaud this. Nor do they regard this as
an indication of a good king. On the other hand, they say that a foe
should be subdued and checked, like a sire subduing and checking a son,
without anger and without destroying him. If, O Yudhishthira, a king
becomes severe, he becomes an object of hatred with all creatures. If, on
the other hand, he becomes mild, he becomes disregarded by all. Do thou,
therefore, practise both severity and mildness. Before smiting, O
Bharata, and while smiting, utter sweet words; and having smitten, show
them compassion and let them understand that thou art grieving and
weeping for them. Having vanquished an army, the king should address the
survivors saying, 'I am not at all glad that so many have been slain by
my troops. Alas, the latter, though repeatedly dissuaded by me, have not
obeyed my direction. I wish they (that are slain) were all alive. They
do not deserve such death. They were all good men and true, and
unretreating from battle. Such men, indeed, are rare. He that has slain
such a hero in battle, has surely done that which is not agreeable to
me.' Having uttered such speeches before the survivors of the vanquished
foe, the king should in secret honour those amongst his own troops that
have bravely slain the foe. For soothing the wounded slayers for their
sufferings at the hand of the foe, the king, desirous of attaching them
to himself, should even weep, seizing their hands affectionately. The
king should thus, under all circumstances, behave with conciliation. A
king that is fearless and virtuous, becomes the beloved of all creatures.
All creatures, also, O Bharata, trust such a ruler. Winning their trust,
he succeeds in enjoying the earth as he pleases. The king should,
therefore, by abandoning deceitfulness, seek to obtain the trust of all
creatures. He should also seek to protect his subjects from all fears if
he seek to enjoy the earth."'"