Chapter 74

“Bhishma said, ‘It is said that the preservation and growth of thekingdom rest upon the king. The preservation and growth of the king restupon the king’s priest. That kingdom enjoys true felicity where theinvisible fears of the subjects are dispelled by the Brahmana and allvisible fears are dispelled by the king with the might of his arms. Inthis connection is cited the old narrative of the discourse between kingMuchukunda and Vaisravana. King Muchukunda, having subjugated the wholeearth, repaired to the lord of Alaka for testing his strength. KingVaisravana created (by ascetic power) a large force of Rakshasas. Theseground the forces led by Muchukunda. Beholding the slaughter of his army,king Muchukunda, O chastiser of foes, began to rebuke his own learnedpriest (Vasishtha). Thereupon that foremost of righteous persons viz.,Vasishtha, underwent very severe penances and, causing those Rakshasas tobe slain, ascertained the true course upon which Muchukunda was bent.When king Vaisravana’s troops were being slaughtered, he showed himselfunto Muchukunda and said these words.’

“The Lord of treasures said, ‘Many kings of old, more powerful than thouart, aided by their priests, had never approached me thus? All of themwere skilled in weapons and all of them were possessed of might.Regarding me as the grantor of weal and woe, they approached me foroffering worship. In truth, if thou hast might of arms, it behoves theeto display it. Why dost thou act so proudly, aided by Brahmana might?’Enraged at these words, Muchukunda, without pride and fear, said unto thelord of treasures these words fraught with reason and justice, ‘Theself-born Brahman created the Brahmana and the Kshatriya. They have acommon origin. If they apply their forces separately, they would never beable to uphold the world. The power of penances and mantras was bestowedupon Brahmanas; the might of arms and of weapons was bestowed uponKshatriyas. Aggrandised by both kinds of might, kings should protecttheir subjects. I am acting in that way. Why dost thou, O lord of Alaka,rebuke me then?’ Thus addressed, Vaisravana said unto Muchukunda and hispriest, ‘I never, without being ordered by the (self-created) bestowsovereignty upon any one. Nor do I ever, without being ordered, take itaway from any one. Know this, O king! Do thou rule then the whole earthwithout bounds.’ Thus addressed, king Muchukunda replied, saying, ‘I donot, O king, desire to enjoy sovereignty obtained as gift from thee! Idesire to enjoy sovereignty obtained by the might of my own arms.’

“Bhishma continued, ‘At these words of Muchukunda, Vaisravana, seeing theking fearless in the observance of Kshatriya duties, became filled withsurprise. King Muchukunda, devoted to Kshatriya duties, continued to rulethe entire earth obtained by the might of his own arms. That virtuousking who rules his kingdom, aided by and yielding precedence to theBrahmana, succeeds in subjugating the whole earth and achieving greatfame. The Brahmana should every day perform his religious rites and theKshatriya should always be armed with weapons. Between them they are therightful owners of everything in the universe.'”