Dvaidhibhava
The Double Strategy
Playing both sides. The sophisticated art of dual policies with different parties.
The Emperor Who Spoke in Two Voices
Krishnadevaraya ruled the Vijayanagara Empire at its zenith. His enemies were legion, the Bahmani successor states surrounded him, each hungry for Hindu gold. A straightforward policy would have united them against him. A single alliance would have made enemies of all others.
Instead, Krishnadevaraya practiced Dvaidhibhava, the double policy.
To the Sultan of Bijapur, he sent ambassadors speaking of friendship and trade. To Bijapur's rival in Golconda, he sent different ambassadors with similar messages. To the nobles within Bijapur who chafed under their sultan, he sent gold and promises. To the sultan's enemies among the Deccan powers, he offered alliance.
No one knew his true position. Everyone believed they had his favor. When his enemies finally realized they'd been played against each other, Krishnadevaraya's armies had already achieved what diplomatic confusion had prepared.
"He speaks with many tongues," a frustrated Deccani chronicler wrote, "and each tongue tells what the listener wishes to hear."
This was the sixth measure of statecraft, the most sophisticated and dangerous of them all.
The Art of Ambiguity
"द्वैधीभावेन संरक्षेत्" "Through double policy, one protects oneself."
Dvaidhibhava means "dual state" or "double disposition." It's the deliberate maintenance of contradictory policies with different parties simultaneously, peace with one while preparing war with another, friendship publicly while undermining secretly, commitment to no one while appearing committed to everyone.
Where the other five measures represent clear choices, Dvaidhibhava represents the strategic use of unclear choices. It recognizes that in complex environments, ambiguity itself becomes power.
Kautilya placed it last among the Shadgunya because it's the most difficult to execute. It requires:
- Managing multiple contradictory relationships without exposure
- Maintaining credibility in each direction despite inconsistency
- Knowing when to resolve ambiguity into clarity
- Accepting the ethical weight of deception
The Logic of Contradiction
Why would a ruler adopt contradictory policies? Several strategic logics apply: