Chapter 131

“Yudhishthira said, ‘What, besides this, should be done by a king that isweak and procrastinating, that does not engage in battle from anxiety forthe lives of his friends, that is always under the influence of fear, andthat cannot keep his counsels secret? What, indeed, should that king dowhose cities and kingdom have been partitioned and appropriated by foes,who is divested of wealth, who is incapable (through such poverty) ofhonouring his friends and attaching them to himself, whose ministers aredisunited or bought over by his enemies, who is obliged to stand in theface of foes, whose army has dwindled away, and whose heart has beenagitated by some strong enemy?’

“Bhishma said, ‘If the invading enemy be of pure heart and if he beconversant with both morality and profit, a king of the kind you haveindicated should, with no loss of time, make peace with the invader andbring about the restoration of those portions of the kingdom that havealready been conquered. If, again, the invader be strong and sinful andseek to obtain victory by unrighteous means, the king should make peacewith him, too, by abandoning a portion of his territories. If the invaderbe unwilling to make peace, the king should then abandon his very capitaland all his possessions for escaping from danger. If he can save his lifehe may hope for similar acquisitions in future. What man conversant withmorality is there that would sacrifice his own self, which is a morevaluable possession, for encountering that danger from which escape canbe had by the abandonment of his treasury and army? A king should protectthe ladies of his household. If these fall into the hands of the enemy,he should not show any compassion for them (by incurring the risk of hisown arrest in delivering them). As long as it is in his power, he shouldnever surrender his own self to the enemy.’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘When his own people are dissatisfied with him, whenhe is oppressed by invaders, when his treasury is exhausted, and when hiscounsels are divulged, what should the king then do?’

“Bhishma said, ‘A king, under such circumstances, should (if his enemy berighteous) seek to make peace with him. If the enemy be unrighteous, heshould then put forth his valour. He should, by such means, seek to causethe foe to withdraw from his kingdom; or fighting bravely, he should laydown his life and ascend to heaven. A king can conquer the whole earthwith the help of even a small force if that force be loyal, cheerful, anddevoted to his good. If slain in battle, he is sure to ascend to heaven.If he succeeds in slaying (his enemies), he is sure to enjoy the earth.By laying down one’s life in battle, one obtains the companionship ofIndra himself.'”