Kanika Niti Lessons for Dhritarashtra – Stories from Adi Parva

When the Pandavas became more popular than his sons, Dhritarashtra couldn’t suppress his jealousy. However, he knew he couldn’t openly display his partiality as a king. He called his ministers and wise Brahmins to ask for help to handle the situation. A Brahmin named Kanika taught him the art of duality where he could act as if he cared for the Pandavas but could do whatever was best for his sons (Kauravas). The long discourse by Kanika is called Kanika Kuta Niti since some of the advice is not according to dharma. 

Dhritarasthra told Kanika that he couldn’t bear to see the Pandavas prosper. He asked if he should remain calm or stop them.

Kanika was more than happy to impart his version of political wisdom to the king. Here’s a summary of his lesson –

A king should rule and extend his influence. He should not expose his weakness. He should see through others but let no one see through him. He should complete whatever task he sets to achieve. The king should wait and strike the enemy when facing adversaries and get rid of him quickly. 

Weak enemies should be watched and tracked. If an enemy falls into the king’s hands, show no compassion and finish him off, even if the enemy seeks shelter. This can be done openly or in secret. Stubborn enemies can be won over using wealth and should then be killed. Once the enemy is removed, all his friends and allies should also be wiped out. No one should left alive to avenge the dead. 

A king should hide his weaknesses but continue to note the errors others make. Make enemies let their guard down and strike when they don’t have a chance to react. 

The cheapest way to riches is trickery. Use any means to trick the enemy and kill him even if he begs for mercy. Create discord among his friends and isolate him otherwise. 

Kanika shared a story about a clever jackal in a forest – 

A devious jackal had four friends – a tiger, a wolf, a mouse, and a mongoose. One day, they spotted a herd of deer but the leader was too fast and got away. The four friends called a meeting. Jackal advised the tiger to send the mouse to nibble on the deer’s toes when it is asleep so that it would slow down and the tiger would be able to attack easily. 

They did and caught the deer. The jackal told them to take a bath first and they could feast together. The tiger finished washing and returned to find the jackal in deep thought. It said to the tiger that the mouse boasted that it was the king of the jungle as it helped kill a deer. 

The jackal acted as if it was scared and didn’t want to touch the meat without the mouse present. The tiger replied that it would eat only what it killed on its own and walked away. 

A few minutes later, the jackal repeated similar statements to the mouse and said that the mongoose felt it was the tiger who killed the deer and it would happily eat the mouse. The mouse was afraid and ran to its hole to avoid becoming a meal of the mongoose. 

When the wolf arrived, the jackal continued its evil games. He warned the wolf that the tiger was furious. The wolf rushed off to avoid confronting the tiger. 

Next, the mongoose arrived. The jackal boasted that all the others ran away after being trashed and demanded if it also wanted the same treatment. The mongoose replied that it was no hero and left. 

The happy jackal devoured the entire deer. 

Kanika said that a king could learn a valuable lesson from this. 

Depending on the enemies’ weaknesses, different methods should be used to trick and defeat them. 

Even if the king’s relative, son/ brother/ father/ etc., becomes an enemy, they should not be ignored. The enemies should be destroyed through means like seduction, bribery, poison, treachery, etc., and it should be done immediately. If both sides are equally strong, the one who strikes first has an advantage. 

A pompous guru should not be rebuked or angered even if he is annoying. A king should never show his anger. Instead, he should strike when the other person doesn’t expect it. Or, he should first act kind and win over the person with gifts and then attack. It is also important to burn down the enemy’s house after killing him.

The enemy has to be crushed totally by any means. Suspect the ones that appear harmless as loss occurs due to misplaced trust. Always be cautious when treating the faithful ones. Double-test the spies before appointing them. Fake ascetics and scoundrels make good spies and should be placed in public spaces, temples, hills, forests, drinking halls, yagna sites, and among state officials. Even the most vicious act should be done with a smile. To achieve success, be humble first and flatter people. 

Face misfortune nobly. A king should never relax after signing a treaty with an enemy. Counsel and advice should be given in secret. Use spies but prevent others’ spies from seeing the internal matters. Gauge the enemy’s strengths and find a way to destroy them. 

When in need, don’t beg or ask. If aid arrives, don’t ask for more. Don’t complete the projects entirely. Leave a little for others to fulfill. Their services might be useful later on. 

Don’t let a friend or enemy guess the plans until the job has been accomplished. Share only the smallest possible details with friends if required. Keep worrying about danger until it occurs but face it with courage and overcome the challenges. Don’t overlook minor details when planning. 

Intelligence and hard work go hand in hand to achieve success. Never underestimate the enemy as even a small king can win with proper support from allies. Give false hopes to the enemies and defer their demands. Present a convincing reason for this. Be like a razor sheathed in leather. Slice off hair when the right time arrives. 

Kanika concluded his advice by telling Dhritarashtra to treat the Pandavas the way he thinks would be the best and nothing he does should cause repentance later on. 

**

Note: Kanika Niti is not a part of the Critical Edition