"'Bhishma said, "Let not such trees as yield edible fruits be cut down in
thy dominions. Fruits and roots constitute the property of the Brahmanas.
The sages have declared this to be an ordinance of religion. The surplus,
after supporting the Brahmanas, should go to the support of other people.
Nobody should take anything by doing an injury to the Brahmanas.[257] If
a Brahmana, afflicted for want of support, desires to abandon a kingdom
for obtaining livelihood (elsewhere), the king, O monarch, should, with
affection and respect, assign unto him the means of sustenance. If he
does not still abstain (from leaving the kingdom), the king should repair
to an assembly of Brahmanas and say, 'Such a Brahmana is leaving the
kingdom. In whom shall my people then find an authority for guiding
them?'[258] If after this, he does not give up his intention of leaving,
and says anything, the king should say unto him, 'Forget the past.' This,
O son of Kunti, is the eternal way of royal duty.[259] The king should
further say unto him, 'Indeed, O Brahmana, people say that that only
should be assigned to a Brahmana which would be just sufficient for
maintaining him. I, however, do not accept that opinion. On the other
hand, I think that if a Brahmana seeks to leave a kingdom for the king's
neglect in providing him with means of support, such means should be
assigned to him, and, further, if he intends to take that step for
procuring the means of luxury, he should still be requested to stay and
supplied with ever those means.'[260] Agriculture, cattle-rearing, and
trade, provide all men with the means of living. A knowledge of the
Vedas, however, provide them with the means of obtaining heaven. They,
therefore, that obstruct the study of the Vedas and the cause of Vedic
practices, are to be regarded as enemies of society.[261] It is for the
extermination of these that Brahman created Kshatriyas. Subdue thy foes,
protect thy subjects, worship the deities in sacrifices, and fight
battles with courage, O delighter of the Kurus! A king should protect
those that deserve protection. The king who does this is the best of
rulers. Those kings that do not exercise the duty of protection live a
vain life. For the benefit of all his subjects the king should always
seek to ascertain the acts and thoughts of all, O Yudhishthira; and for
that reason he should set spies and secret agents.[262] Protecting
others from thy own, and thy own from others, as also others from others,
and thy own from thy own, do thou always cherish thy people. Protecting
his own self first from every one, the king should protect the earth. Men
of knowledge have said that everything has its root in self. The king
should always reflect upon these, viz., What are his laches, to what evil
habits he is addicted, what are the sources of his weakness, and what are
the sources of his faults. The king should cause secret and trusted
agents to wander through the kingdom for ascertaining whether his conduct
as displayed on the previous day has or has not met with the approbation
of the people. Indeed, he should ascertain whether his conduct is or is
not generally praised, or, is or is not acceptable to the people of the
provinces, and whether he has or has not succeeded in earning a good name
in his kingdom. Amongst those that are virtuous and possessed of wisdom,
those that never retreat from battle, and those that do not reside in thy
kingdom, those that are dependent on thee, and those that are thy
ministers, as well as those that are independent of party, they that
praise or blame thee should never be objects of disregard with thee, O
Yudhishthira![263] No man, O sire, can succeed in earning the good
opinion of all persons in the world. All persons have friends, foes, and
neutrals, O Bharata!"
"'Yudhishthira said, "Among persons all of whom are equal in might of arms
and accomplishments, whence does one acquire superiority over all the
rest, and whence does that one succeed in ruling over them?"
"'Bhishma said, "Creatures that are mobile devour things that are
immobile; animals again that have teeth devour those that have no teeth;
wrathful snakes of virulent poison devour smaller ones of their own
species. (Upon this principle), among human beings also, the king, who is
strong, preys upon those that are weak. The king, O Yudhishthira, should
always be heedful of his subjects as also of his foes. If he becomes
heedless, they fall upon him like vultures (on carrion). Take care, O
king, that the traders in thy kingdom who purchase articles at prices
high and low (for sale), and who in course of their journeys have to
sleep or take rest in forest and inaccessible regions,[264] be not
afflicted by the imposition of heavy taxes. Let not the agriculturists in
thy kingdom leave it through oppression; they, who bear the burthens of
the king, support the other residents also of the kingdom.[265] The gifts
made by thee in this world support the gods, Pitris, men, Nagas,
Rakshasas, birds, and animals. These, O Bharata, are the means of
governing a kingdom and protecting its rulers. I shall again discourse to
thee on the subject, O son of Pandu!"'"