Chapter 91

“Utathya said, ‘If the deity of the clouds pours rain seasonably and theking acts virtuously, the prosperity that ensues maintain the subjects infelicity. That washerman who does not know how to wash away the filth ofcloth without taking away its dye, is very unskilful in his profession.That person among Brahmanas or Kshatriyas or Vaisyas who, having fallenaway from the proper duties of his order, has become a Sudra, is truly tobe compared to such a washerman. Menial service attaches to the Sudra;agriculture to the Vaisya; the science of chastisement to the Kshatriya,and Brahmacharya, penances, mantras, and truth, attach, to the Brahmana.That Kshatriya who knows how to correct the faults of behaviour of theother orders and to wash them clean like a washerman is really theirfather and deserve to be their king. The respective ages called Krita,Treta, Dwapara and Kali, O bull of Bharata’s race, are all dependent onthe conduct of the king. It is the king who constitutes  the age.[269]The four orders, the Vedas and the duties in respect of the four modes oflife, all become confused and weakened when the king becomes heedless.The three kinds of Fire, the three Vedas, and sacrifices with Dakshina,all become lost when the king becomes heedless. The king is the creatorof all creatures, and the king is their destroyer. That king who is ofrighteous soul is regarded as the creator, while he that is sinful isregarded as the destroyer. The king’s wives, sons, kinsmen, and friends,all become unhappy and grieve when the king becomes heedless. Elephantsand steeds and kine and camels and mules and asses and other animals alllose their vigour when the king becomes unrighteous. It is said, OMandhatri, that the Creator created Power (represented by the king) forthe object of protecting Weakness. Weakness is, indeed, a great being,for everything depends upon it.[270] All creatures worship the king. Allcreatures are the children of the king. If, therefore, O monarch, theking becomes unrighteous, all creatures come to grief. The eyes of theweak, of the Muni, and of the snake of virulent poison, should beregarded as unbearable. Do not, therefore, come into (hostile) contactwith the weak. Thou shouldst regard the weak as always subject tohumiliation. Take care that the eyes of the weak do not burn thee withthy kinsmen. In a race scorched by the eyes of the weak, no children takebirth. Such eyes burn the race to its very roots. Do not, therefore, comeinto (hostile) contact with the weak. Weakness is more powerful than eventhe greatest Power, for that Power which is scorched by Weakness becomestotally exterminated. If a person, who has been humiliated or struck,fails, while shrieking for assistance, to obtain a protector, divinechastisement overtakes the king and brings about his destruction. Do not,O sire, while in enjoyment of Power, take wealth from those that areWeak. Take care that that the eyes of the Weak do not burn thee like ablazing fire. The tears shed by weeping men afflicted with falsehood slaythe children and animals of those that have uttered those falsehoods.Like a cow a sinful act perpetrated does not produce immediatefruits.[271] If the fruit is not seen in the perpetrator himself, it isseen in his son or in his son’s son, or daughter’s son. When a weakperson fails to find a rescuer, the great rod of divine chastisementfalls (upon the king). When all subjects of a king (are obliged bydistress to) live like Brahmanas, by mendicancy, such mendicancy bringsdestruction upon the king. When all the officers of the king posted inthe provinces unite together and act with injustice, the king is thensaid to bring about a state of unmixed evil upon his kingdom. When theofficers of the king extort wealth, by unjust means or acting from lustor avarice, from persons piteously soliciting mercy, a great destructionthen is sure to overtake the king. A mighty tree, first starting intolife, grows into large proportions. Numerous creatures then come and seekits shelter. When, however, it is cut down or consumed in aconflagration, those that, had recourse to it for shelter all becomehomeless.[272] When the residents of a kingdom perform acts ofrighteousness and all religious rites, and applaud the good qualities ofthe king, the latter reaps an accession of affluence. When, on the otherhand, the residents, moved by ignorance, abandon righteousness and actunrighteously, the king becomes overtaken by misery. When sinful menwhose acts are known are allowed to move among the righteous (withoutbeing punished for their misdeeds), Kali then overtakes the rulers ofthose realms.[273] When the king causes chastisement to overtake allwicked people, his kingdom thrives in prosperity. The kingdom of thatking certainly thrives who pays proper honours to his ministers andemploys them in measures of policy and in battles. Such a ruler enjoysthe wide earth for ever. That king who duly honours all good acts andgood speeches succeeds in earning great merit. The enjoyment of goodthings after sharing them with others, paying proper honours to theministers, and subjugation or persons intoxicated with strength, are saidto constitute the great duty of a king. Protecting all men by words,body, and deeds, and never forgiving his son himself (if he hasoffended), constitute the great duty of the king. The maintenance ofthose that are weak by sharing with them the things he has, and therebyincreasing their strength constitute the duty of the king. Protection ofthe kingdom, extermination of robbers, and conquering in battle,constitute the duty of the king. Never to forgive a person however dear,if he has committed an offence by act or word, constitutes the duty ofthe king. Protecting those that solicit shelter, as he would protect hisown children, and never depriving one of the honours to which he isentitled constitute the duty of the king.[274] Adoring the deities, witha devoted heart, in sacrifices completed by presents, and subduing lustand envy, constitute the duty of the king. Wiping the tears of thedistressed, the helpless, and the old, and inspiring them with joy,constitute the duty of the king. Aggrandising friends, weakening foes,and honouring the good, constitute the duty of the king. Cheerfullyobserving the obligations of truth, always making gifts of land,entertaining guests, and supporting dependents, constitute the duty ofthe king. That king who favours those that deserve favours and chastisesthose that deserve chastisement earns great merit both here andhereafter. The king is Yama himself. He is, O Mandhatri, the god(incarnate) unto all that are righteous. By subduing his senses hesucceeds in acquiring great affluence. By not subduing them he incurssin.[275] Paying proper honours unto Ritwijas and priests and preceptors,and doing good offices unto them constitute the duty of the king. Yamagoverns all creatures without observing distinctions. The king shouldimitate him in his behaviour by restraining all his subjects duly. Theking is said to resemble the Thousand-eyed (Indra) in every respect.That, O bull among men, should be regarded as righteousness which isregarded as such by him. Thou shouldst, without being heedless, cultivateforgiveness, intelligence, patience, and the, love of all creatures. Thoushouldst also ascertain the strength and weakness of all men and learn todistinguish between right and wrong. Thou shouldst conduct thyself withpropriety towards all creatures, make gifts, and utter agreeable andsweet words. Thou shouldst maintain the residents of thy city and theprovinces in happiness. A king who is not clever, never succeeds inprotecting his subjects. Sovereignty, O sire, is a very happy burthen tobear. Only that king who is possessed of wisdom and courage, and who isconversant with the science of chastisement, can protect a kingdom. He,on the other hand, who is without energy and intelligence, and who is notversed in the great science, is incompetent to bear the burthen ofsovereignty. Aided by ministers of handsome features and good birth,clever in business, devoted to their master, and possessed of greatlearning, thou shouldst examine the hearts and acts of all men includingthe very ascetics in the forests. Conducting thyself thus, thou wilt beable to learn the duties of all orders of men. That will aid thee inobserving thy own duties, whether when thou art in thy country or whenthou repairest to other realms. Amongst these three objects, viz.,Virtue, Profit, and Pleasure, Virtue is the foremost. He that is ofvirtuous soul obtains great happiness both here and hereafter. If men betreated with honour, they can abandon (for the sake of the honour thoumayst give them) their very wives and sons. By attaching good men tohimself (by doing good offices unto them), by gifts, sweet words,heedfulness and purity of behaviour, a king may win great prosperity. Donot, therefore, O Mandhatri, be heedless to these qualities and acts. Theking should never be heedless in looking after his own laches, as alsoafter those of his foes. He should act in such a way that his foes maynot be able to detect his laches, and he should himself assail them whentheirs are visible. This is the way in which Vasava, and Yama, andVaruna, and all the great royal sages have acted. Do thou observe thesame conduct. Do thou, O great king, adopt this behaviour which wasfollowed by those royal sages. Do thou soon, O bull of Bharata’s race,adept this heavenly road. The gods, the Rishis, the Pitris, and theGandharvas, possessed of great energy, sing the praises, both here andhereafter, of that king whose conduct is righteous.’

“Bhishma continued, ‘Thus addressed by Utathya, O Bharata, Mandhatri,unhesitatingly did as he was directed, and became the sole lord of thewide earth. Do thou also, O king, act righteously like Mandhatri. Thouwilt then, after ruling the earth, obtain an abode in heaven.'”