"'"Utathya said, 'If the deity of the clouds pours rain seasonably and the
king acts virtuously, the prosperity that ensues maintain the subjects in
felicity. That washerman who does not know how to wash away the filth of
cloth without taking away its dye, is very unskilful in his profession.
That person among Brahmanas or Kshatriyas or Vaisyas who, having fallen
away from the proper duties of his order, has become a Sudra, is truly to
be 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 the
other orders and to wash them clean like a washerman is really their
father and deserves to be their king. The respective ages called Krita,
Treta, Dwapara and Kali, O bull of Bharata's race, are all dependent on
the 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 of
life, 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 creator
of all creatures, and the king is their destroyer. That king who is of
righteous soul is regarded as the creator, while he that is sinful is
regarded as the destroyer. The king's wives, sons, kinsmen, and friends,
all become unhappy and grieve when the king becomes heedless. Elephants
and steeds and kine and camels and mules and asses and other animals all
lose their vigour when the king becomes unrighteous. It is said, O
Mandhatri, that the Creator created Power (represented by the king) for
the object of protecting Weakness. Weakness is, indeed, a great being,
for everything depends upon it.[270] All creatures worship the king. All
creatures are the children of the king. If, therefore, O monarch, the
king becomes unrighteous, all creatures come to grief. The eyes of the
weak, of the Muni, and of the snake of virulent poison, should be
regarded as unbearable. Do not, therefore, come into (hostile) contact
with the weak. Thou shouldst regard the weak as always subject to
humiliation. Take care that the eyes of the weak do not burn thee with
thy kinsmen. In a race scorched by the eyes of the weak, no children take
birth. Such eyes burn the race to its very roots. Do not, therefore, come
into (hostile) contact with the weak. Weakness is more powerful than even
the greatest Power, for that Power which is scorched by Weakness becomes
totally exterminated. If a person, who has been humiliated or struck,
fails, while shrieking for assistance, to obtain a protector, divine
chastisement overtakes the king and brings about his destruction. Do not,
O sire, while in enjoyment of Power, take wealth from those that are
Weak. Take care that that the eyes of the Weak do not burn thee like a
blazing fire. The tears shed by weeping men afflicted with falsehood slay
the children and animals of those that have uttered those falsehoods.
Like a cow a sinful act perpetrated does not produce immediate
fruits.[271] If the fruit is not seen in the perpetrator himself, it is
seen in his son or in his son's son, or daughter's son. When a weak
person fails to find a rescuer, the great rod of divine chastisement
falls (upon the king). When all subjects of a king (are obliged by
distress to) live like Brahmanas, by mendicancy, such mendicancy brings
destruction upon the king. When all the officers of the king posted in
the provinces unite together and act with injustice, the king is then
said to bring about a state of unmixed evil upon his kingdom. When the
officers of the king extort wealth, by unjust means or acting from lust
or avarice, from persons piteously soliciting mercy, a great destruction
then is sure to overtake the king. A mighty tree, first starting into
life, grows into large proportions. Numerous creatures then come and seek
its shelter. When, however, it is cut down or consumed in a
conflagration, those that had recourse to it for shelter all become
homeless.[272] When the residents of a kingdom perform acts of
righteousness and all religious rites, and applaud the good qualities of
the king, the latter reaps an accession of affluence. When, on the other
hand, the residents, moved by ignorance, abandon righteousness and act
unrighteously, the king becomes overtaken by misery. When sinful men
whose acts are known are allowed to move among the righteous (without
being punished for their misdeeds), Kali then overtakes the rulers of
those realms.[273] When the king causes chastisement to overtake all
wicked people, his kingdom thrives in prosperity. The kingdom of that
king certainly thrives who pays proper honours to his ministers and
employs them in measures of policy and in battles. Such a ruler enjoys
the wide earth for ever. That king who duly honours all good acts and
good speeches succeeds in earning great merit. The enjoyment of good
things after sharing them with others, paying proper honours to the
ministers, and subjugation or persons intoxicated with strength, are said
to constitute the great duty of a king. Protecting all men by words,
body, and deeds, and never forgiving his son himself (if he has
offended), constitute the great duty of the king. The maintenance of
those that are weak by sharing with them the things he has, and thereby
increasing their strength constitute the duty of the king. Protection of
the 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 of
the king. Protecting those that solicit shelter, as he would protect his
own children, and never depriving one of the honours to which he is
entitled constitute the duty of the king.[274] Adoring the deities, with
a devoted heart, in sacrifices completed by presents, and subduing lust
and envy, constitute the duty of the king. Wiping the tears of the
distressed, 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. Cheerfully
observing the obligations of truth, always making gifts of land,
entertaining guests, and supporting dependents, constitute the duty of
the king. That king who favours those that deserve favours and chastises
those that deserve chastisement earns great merit both here and
hereafter. The king is Yama himself. He is, O Mandhatri, the god
(incarnate) unto all that are righteous. By subduing his senses he
succeeds in acquiring great affluence. By not subduing them he incurs
sin.[275] Paying proper honours unto Ritwijas and priests and preceptors,
and doing good offices unto them constitute the duty of the king. Yama
governs all creatures without observing distinctions. The king should
imitate him in his behaviour by restraining all his subjects duly. The
king is said to resemble the Thousand-eyed (Indra) in every respect.
That, O bull among men, should be regarded as righteousness which is
regarded as such by him. Thou shouldst, without being heedless, cultivate
forgiveness, intelligence, patience, and the love of all creatures. Thou
shouldst also ascertain the strength and weakness of all men and learn to
distinguish between right and wrong. Thou shouldst conduct thyself with
propriety towards all creatures, make gifts, and utter agreeable and
sweet words. Thou shouldst maintain the residents of thy city and the
provinces in happiness. A king who is not clever, never succeeds in
protecting his subjects. Sovereignty, O sire, is a very happy burthen to
bear. Only that king who is possessed of wisdom and courage, and who is
conversant with the science of chastisement, can protect a kingdom. He,
on the other hand, who is without energy and intelligence, and who is not
versed in the great science, is incompetent to bear the burthen of
sovereignty. Aided by ministers of handsome features and good birth,
clever in business, devoted to their master, and possessed of great
learning, thou shouldst examine the hearts and acts of all men including
the very ascetics in the forests. Conducting thyself thus, thou wilt be
able to learn the duties of all orders of men. That will aid thee in
observing thy own duties, whether when thou art in thy country or when
thou repairest to other realms. Amongst these three objects, viz.,
Virtue, Profit, and Pleasure, Virtue is the foremost. He that is of
virtuous soul obtains great happiness both here and hereafter. If men be
treated with honour, they can abandon (for the sake of the honour thou
mayst give them) their very wives and sons. By attaching good men to
himself (by doing good offices unto them), by gifts, sweet words,
heedfulness and purity of behaviour, a king may win great prosperity. Do
not, therefore, O Mandhatri, be heedless to these qualities and acts. The
king should never be heedless in looking after his own laches, as also
after those of his foes. He should act in such a way that his foes may
not be able to detect his laches, and he should himself assail them when
theirs are visible. This is the way in which Vasava, and Yama, and
Varuna, and all the great royal sages have acted. Do thou observe the
same conduct. Do thou, O great king, adopt this behaviour which was
followed by those royal sages. Do thou soon, O bull of Bharata's race,
adept this heavenly road. The gods, the Rishis, the Pitris, and the
Gandharvas, possessed of great energy, sing the praises, both here and
hereafter, 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 the
wide earth. Do thou also, O king, act righteously like Mandhatri. Thou
wilt then, after ruling the earth, obtain an abode in heaven."'"