व्रजन्ति ते मूढधियः पराभवं
भवन्ति मायाविषु ये न मायिनः ।
प्रविश्य हि घ्नन्ति शठास्तथाविधा-
नसंवृताङ्गान्निशिता इवेषवः ॥
vrajanti te mūḍha-dhiyaḥ parābhavaṁ
bhavanti māyāviṣu ye na māyinaḥ|
praviśya hi ghnanti śaṭhās tathāvidhān
asaṁvṛtāṅgān niśitā iveṣavaḥ ||
(Kirātārjunīyam: 1.30)
“Those of dull intellect who do not become deceitful with the deceitful [i.e., who fail to employ deceit in dealing with others employing deceit against them when no non-deceitful means of resolution is viable] are defeated. Cheaters enter among and destroy those of this sort [i.e., those who are honest but lack this practical insight] as sharp arrows enter into [i.e., pierce] and destroy unarmored bodies.”
Commentary
If a problem created by a deceitful person is something that is imperative to resolve and it can be resolved with an honest course, that should be adopted. One should not resort to deceit just because another is acting deceitfully. When, however, there is no other viable means of resolving the problem, then one not only can but should resort to deceit to ensure the imperative resolution is achieved. This principle is applicable in life and death circumstances and grave matters of statecraft.