upon intelligence. All acts that are accomplished with the aid of
intelligence are regarded as the foremost, those achieved with the aid of
arms are middling, those achieved with the aid of feet are inferior,
while those done by carrying loads are the lowest. If the king is clever
in the transaction of business and restrains his senses, his kingdom
endures. Manu himself has said that it is with the aid of the
intelligence that an ambitious person succeeds in achieving victories. In
this world, O Yudhishthira, they who listen to wise counsels that are not
generally known, that are, O sinless one, possessed of allies, and that
act after proper scrutiny, succeed in achieving all their objects. A
person possessed of such aids succeeds in ruling the entire earth. O thou
that art possessed of prowess like that of Indra himself, this has been
said by wise men of ancient times conversant with the ordinances laid
down in the scriptures. I, also, with sight directed to the scriptures,
have said the same to thee. Exercising thy intelligence, do thou act in
this world, O king!'"
SECTION CXIII
"Yudhishthira said, 'Tell me O bull of Bharata's race, how a king,
without the usual aids, having obtained a kingdom that is so precious a
possession, behave himself towards a powerful foe.'
"Bhishma said, In this connection is cited the old story of the discourse
between the Ocean and the Rivers. In days of old, eternal Ocean, that
lord of Rivers, that refuge of the foes of the celestials, asked all the
Rivers for resolving this doubt that had arisen in his mind.'
"The Ocean said, 'Ye Rivers, I see that all of you, with your full
currents, bring away trees of large trunks, tearing them off with their
roots and branches. Ye do not, however, ever bring to me a cane. The
canes that grow on your banks are of mean stems and destitute of
strength. Do you refuse to wash them down through contempt, or are they
of any use to you? I desire, therefore, to hear what the motive is that
inspires all of you. Indeed, why is it that canes are not washed down by
any of you, uprooted from the banks where they grow?' Thus addressed, the
River Ganga, replied unto Ocean, that lord of all Rivers, in these words
of grave import, fraught with reason, and, therefore, acceptable to all.'
"Ganga said, 'Trees stand in one and the same place and are unyielding in
respect of the spot where they stand. In consequence of this disposition
of theirs to resist our currents, they are obliged to leave the place of
their growth. Canes, however, act differently. The cane, beholding the
advancing current, bends to it. The others do not act in that way. After
the current has passed away, the cane resumes its former posture. The
cane knows the virtues of Time and opportunity. It is docile and
obedient. It is yielding, without being stiff. For these reasons, it
stands where it grows, without having to come with us. Those plants,
trees, and creepers that bend and rise before the force of wind and
water, have never to suffer discomfiture (by being taken up by the
roots).'
"Bhishma continued, 'That person who does not yield to the power of a foe
that has advanced in might and that is competent to imprison or kill,
soon meets with destruction.[345] That man of wisdom who acts after
ascertaining fully the strength and weakness, the might and energy, of
himself and his foe, has never to suffer discomfiture. An intelligent
man, therefore, when he sees his enemy to be more powerful than himself,
should adopt the behaviour of the cane. That is an indication of wisdom.'"
SECTION CXIV
"Yudhishthira said, 'How, O Bharata, should a learned man adorned with
modesty behave, O chastiser of foes, when assailed with harsh speeches in
the midst of assemblies by an ignorant person swelling with conceit?'[346]
"Bhishma said, 'Listen, O lord of earth, how the subject has been treated
of (in the scriptures), how a person of good soul should endure in this
world the abusive speeches of persons of little intelligence. If a
person, when abused by another, do not yield to wrath, he is then sure to
take away (the merit of) all the good deeds that have been done by the
abuser. The endurer, in such a case, communicates the demerit of all his
own bad acts to the person who under the influence of wrath indulges in
abuse. An intelligent man should disregard an abusive language who
resembles, after all, only a Tittibha uttering dissonant cries.[347] One
who yields to hate is said to live in vain. A fool may often be heard to
say, 'Such a respectable man was addressed by me in such words amid such
an assembly of men,' and to even boast of that wicked act. He would add,
'Abused by me, the man remained silent as if dead with shame. Even thus
does a shameless man boast of an act about which no one should boast.
Such a wretch among men should carefully be disregarded. The man of
wisdom should endure everything that such a person of little intelligence
may say. What can a vulgar fellow do by either his praise or his blame?
He is even like a crow that caws uselessly in the woods. If those who
accuse others by only their words could establish those accusations by
such means, then, perhaps, their words would have been regarded to be of
some value. As a fact, however, these words are as effective as those
uttered by fools invoking death upon them with whom they quarrel.[348]
That man simply proclaims his bastardy who indulges in such conduct and
words. Indeed, he is even like a peacock that dances while showing such a
part of his body as should be ever concealed from the view.[349] A person
of pure conduct should never even speak with that wight of sinful conduct
who does not scruple to utter anything or do anything. That man who speak
of one's merits when one's eye is upon him and who speaks ill of one when
one's eye is withdrawn from him, is really like a dog. Such a person
loses all his regions in heaven and the fruits of any knowledge and
virtue that he may have.[350] The man who speaks ill of one when one's
eye is not upon him, loses without delay the fruits of all his libations
on fire and of the gifts he may make unto even a hundred persons. A man
of wisdom, therefore, should unhesitatingly avoid a person of such sinful
heart who deserves to be avoided by all honest men, as he would avoid the
flesh of the dog. That wicked-souled wretch who proclaims the faults of a
high-souled person, really publishes (by that act) his own evil nature
even as a snake displays his hood (when interfered with by others). The
man of sense who seeks to counteract such a back-biter ever engaged in an
occupation congenial to himself, finds himself in the painful condition
of a stupid ass sunk in a heap of ashes. A man who is ever engaged in
speaking ill of others should be avoided like a furious wolf, or an
infuriated elephant roaring in madness, or a fierce dog. Fie on that
sinful wretch who has betaken himself to the path of the foolish and has
fallen away from all wholesome restraints and modesty, who is always
engaged in doing what is injurious to others, and who is regardless of
his own prosperity. If an honest man wishes to exchange words with such
wretches when they seek to humiliate him, he should be counselled in
these words: Do not suffer thyself to be afflicted. A wordy encounter
between a high and a low person is always disapproved by persons of
tranquil intelligence. A slanderous wretch, when enraged, may strike
another with his palms, or throw dust or chaff at another, or frighten
another by showing or grinding his teeth. All this is well known. That
man who endures the reproaches and slanders of wicked-souled wights
uttered in assemblies, or who reads frequently these instructions, never
suffers any pain occasioned by speech.'
SECTION CXV
"Yudhishthira said, 'O grandsire, O thou that art possessed of great
wisdom, I have one great doubt that perplexes me. Thou shouldst, O king,
resolve it. Thou art an advancer of our family. Thou hast discoursed to
us upon the slanderous speeches uttered by wicked-souled wretches of bad
conduct. I desire, however, to question thee further. That which is
beneficial to a kingdom, that which is productive of the happiness of the
royal line, that which is productive of good and advancement in the
future and the present, that which is good in respect of food and drink
and as regards also the body, are topics upon which I wish thee to
discourse. How should a king who has been placed on the throne and who
continues to occupy it, surrounded by friends, ministers, and servants
gratify his people. That king who, led away by his affections and
predilections, becomes devoted to evil associates, and who pays court to
wicked men in consequence of his being enthralled by his senses, finds
all servants of good birth and blood disaffected towards him. Such a king
never succeeds in obtaining those objects the accomplishment of which
depends upon one's having a number of good servants about him. It
behoveth thee that art equal to Vrihaspati himself in intelligence to
discourse to me upon these duties of kings which are difficult to be
ascertained and thereby remove my doubts. Thou, O tiger among men, art
ever engaged in accomplishing the good of our race. For this reason thou
always discoursest to us on the duties of king-craft. Kshatri (Vidura)
also, possessed of great wisdom, always gives us valuable instruction.
Hearing instructions from thee that are productive of good to our race
and kingdom, I shall be able to pass my days in happiness like a person
gratified with having quaffed the deathless Amrita. What classes of
servants are to be regarded as inferior and what is possessed of every
accomplishment? Aided by what class of servants or by servants of what
kind of birth, is it advisable to discharge the duties of ruling? If the
king choose to act alone and without servants, he can never succeed in
protecting his people. All persons, however, of high birth covet the
acquisition of sovereignty.'
"Bhishma said, 'The king, O Bharata, cannot alone rule his kingdom.
Without servants to aid him, he cannot succeed in accomplishing any
object. Even if he succeeds in gaining any object, he cannot (if alone),
retain it. That king whose servants are all possessed of knowledge and
wisdom, who are all devoted to the good of their master, and who are of
high birth and tranquil disposition, succeeds in enjoying the happiness
connected with sovereignty. That king whose ministers are all well born,
incapable of being weaned away from him (by means of bribes and other
influences), who always live with him, who are engaged in giving advice
to their master, who are possessed of wisdom and goodness, who have a
knowledge of the relations of things, who can provide for future events
and contingencies, who have a good knowledge of the virtues of time, and
who never grieve for what is past, succeeds in enjoying the happiness
that attaches to sovereignty. That king whose servants share with him his
griefs and joys, who always do what is agreeable to him, who always
direct their attention to the accomplishment of their master's objects,
and all of whom are faithful, succeeds in enjoying the happiness that
attaches to sovereignty. The king whose subjects are always cheerful, and
high minded, and who always tread in the path of the righteousness,
succeeds in enjoying the happiness attached to sovereignty. He is the
best of kings all the sources of whose income are managed and supervised
by contented and trustworthy men well acquainted with the means of
increasing the finances. That king succeeds in obtaining affluence and
great merit whose repositories and barns are supervised by incorruptible,
trust-worthy, devoted, and uncovetous servants always bent upon
gathering. That king in whose city justice is administered properly with
the result of such administration leading to the well known results of
fining the plaintiff or the defendant if his case is untrue, and in which
criminal laws are administered even after the manner of Sankha and
Likhita, succeeds in earning the merit that attaches to sovereignty. That
king who attaches his subjects to himself by kindness, who is conversant
with the duties of kings, and who attends to the aggregate of six.
succeeds in earning the merit that attaches to sovereignty.'"
SECTION CXVI
"Bhishma said, 'In this connection is cited the following history of
olden times. That history is regarded as a high precedent amongst good
and wise men. That history has connection with the present topic. I heard
it in the hermitage of Rama, the son of Jamadagni, recited by many
foremost of Rishis. In a certain large forest uninhabited by human
beings, there lived an ascetic upon fruit and roots observing rigid vows,
and with his senses under control. Observant also of stringent
regulations and self-restraint, of tranquil and pure soul, always
attentive to Vedic recitations, and of heart cleansed by fasts, he
adopted a life of goodness towards all creatures. Possessed of great
intelligence, as he sat on his seat, the goodness of his behaviour having
been known to all the creatures that lived in that forest, they used to
approach him with affection. Fierce lions and tigers, infuriated
elephants of huge size, leopards, rhinoceroses, bears, and other animals
of fierce aspect, subsisting upon blood, used to come to the Rishi and
address him the usual questions of polite enquiry. Indeed, all of them
behaved towards him like disciples and slaves and always did unto him
what was agreeable. Coming to him they addressed the usual enquiries, and
then went away to their respective quarters. One domestic animal,
however, lived there permanently, never leaving the Muni at any time. He
was devoted to the sage and exceedingly attached to him. Weak and
emaciated with fasts, he subsisted upon fruit and roots and water, and
was tranquil and Of inoffensive aspect. Lying at the feet of that
high-souled Rishi as the latter sat, the dog, with a heart like that of a
human being, became exceedingly attached to him in consequence of the
affection with which he was treated. One day a leopard of great strength
came there, subsisting upon blood. Of a cruel disposition and always
filled with delight at the prospect of prey, the fierce animal looked
like a second Yama. Licking the corners of his mouth With the tongue, and
lashing his tail furiously, the leopard came there, hungry and thirsty,
with wide open jaws, desirous of seizing the dog as his prey. Beholding
that fierce beast coming, O king, the dog, in fear of his life, addressed
the Muni in these words. Listen unto them, O monarch! 'O holy one, this
leopard is a foe of the dogs. It wishes to slay me. O great sage, do thou
act in such a way that all my fears from this animal may be dispelled
through thy grace. O thou of mighty arms, without doubt thou art
possessed of omniscience.' Acquainted with the thoughts of all creatures,
the sage felt that the dog had ample cause for fear. Possessed of the six
attributes and capable of reading the voices of all animals, the sage
said the following words.'
"The sage said, 'Thou shalt have no fear of death from leopards any
longer. Let thy natural form disappear and be thou a leopard, O son!' At
these words, the dog was transformed into a leopard with skin bright as
gold. With stripes on his body and with large teeth, thenceforth he began
to live in that forest fearlessly. Meanwhile, the leopard, seeing before
him an animal of his own species, immediately forsook all feelings of
animosity towards it. Some time after, there came into the hermitage a
fierce and hungry tiger with open mouth. Licking the corners of his mouth
with the tongue, and eagerly desirous of drinking blood, that tiger began
to approach towards the animal that had been transformed into a leopard.
Beholding the hungry tiger of terrible teeth approach that forest, the
(transformed) leopard sought the Rishi's protection for saving his life.
The sage, who showed great affection for the leopard in consequence of
the latter's living in the same place with him, forthwith transformed his
leopard into a tiger powerful for all foes. The tiger seeing a beast of
his own species did him no injury, O king. The dog, having in course of
time been transformed into a powerful tiger subsisting upon flesh and
blood, abstained from his former food which had consisted of fruit and
roots. Indeed, from that time, O monarch, the transformed tiger lived,
subsisting upon the other animals of the forest, like a true king of
beasts.'
SECTION CXVII
"Bhishma said, 'The dog transformed into a tiger, gratified with the
flesh of slain beasts, slept at his ease. One day as he lay on the yard
of the hermitage, an infuriated elephant came there, looking like a risen
cloud. Of huge stature, with rent cheeks, having signs of the lotus on
his body, and with broad frontal globes, the animal had long tusks and a
voice deep as that of the clouds. Beholding that infuriated elephant,
proud of his strength, approaching towards him, the tiger agitated with
fear, sought the protection of the Rishi. That best of sages thereupon
transformed the tiger into an elephant. The real elephant, seeing an
individual of his own species, huge as mass of clouds, became terrified.
The Rishi's elephant then, freckled with the dust of lotus filaments,
dived delightfully into lakes overgrown with lotuses and wandered by
their banks indented with rabbit holes. A considerable time elapsed in
this way. One day as the elephant was cheerfully striding along the
vicinity of the hermitage, there came before him unto that spot a maned
lion born in a mountain cave and accustomed to slay elephants. Beholding
the lion coming, the Rishi's elephant, from fear of life, began to
tremble and sought the protection of the sage. The sage thereupon
transformed that prince of elephants into a lion. As the wild lion was an
animal of same species with himself, the Rishi's lion no longer feared
him. On the other hand, the wild lion seeing a stronger beast of his own
species before him, became terrified. The Rishi's lion began to dwell in
that hermitage within the forest. Through fear of that animal, the other
animals no longer ventured to approach the hermitage. Indeed, they all
seemed to be inspired with fear about the safety of their lives. Some
time after one day, a slayer of all animals, possessed of great strength
inspiring all creatures with fright, having eight legs and eyes on the
forehead, viz., a Sarabha, came to that spot. Indeed he came to that very
hermitage for the object of slaying the Rishi's lion. Seeing this, the
sage transformed his lion into a Sarabha of great strength. The wild
Sarabha, beholding the Rishi's Sarabha before him to be fiercer and more
powerful, quickly fled away, from that forest. Having been thus
transformed into a Sarabha by the sage, the animal lived happily by the
side of his transformer. All the animals then that dwelt in the vicinity
became inspired with the fear of that Sarabha. Their fear and the desire
of saving their lives led them all to fly away from that forest. Filled
with delight, the Sarabha continued every day to slay animals for his
food. Transformed into a carnivorous beast, he no longer affected fruit
and roots upon which he had formerly lived. One day that ungrateful beast
who had first been a dog but who was now transformed into a Sarabha,
eagerly thirsting for blood, wished to slay the sage. The latter, by
ascetic power, saw it all by his spiritual knowledge. Possessed of great
wisdom, the sage, having ascertained the intentions of the beast,
addressed him in these words.'
"The sage said, 'O dog, thou wert first transformed into a leopard. From
a leopard thou wert then made a tiger. From a tiger thou wert next
transformed into an elephant with the temporal juice trickling down thy
cheeks. Thy next transformation was into a lion. From a mighty lion thou
wert then transformed into a Sarabha. Filled with affection for thee, it
was I that transformed thee into these diverse shapes. Thou didst not,
and dost not, belong by birth, to any of those species. Since, however, O
sinful wretch, thou desirest to stay me who have done thee no injury,
thou shalt return to thy own species and be a dog again.' After this,
that mean and foolish animal of wicked soul, transformed into a Sarabha
once more assumed, in consequence of the Rishi's curse, his own proper
form of a dog.'"
SECTION CXVIII
"Bhishma said, 'Having once more assumed his proper form, the dog became
very cheerless. The Rishi, reproving him, drove the sinful creature from
his hermitage. An intelligent king should, guided by this precedent,
appoint servants, each fit for the office assigned to him, and exercise
proper supervision over them, having first ascertained their
qualifications in respect of truthfulness and purity, sincerity, general
disposition, knowledge of the scripture, conduct, birth, self-restraint,
compassion, strength, energy, dignity, and forgiveness. A king should
never take a minister without first having examined him. If a king
gathers round him persons of low birth, he can never be happy. A person
of high birth, even if persecuted without any fault by his royal master,
never sets his heart, in consequence of the respectability of his blood,
upon injuring his master. An individual, however, that is mean and of low
birth, having obtained even great affluence from his connection with some
honest man, becomes an enemy of the latter if only he is reproached in
words.[351] A minister should be possessed of high birth and strength; he
should be forgiving and self-restrained, and have all his sense under
control; he should be free from the vice of rapacity, contented with his
just acquisitions, delighted with the prosperity of his master and
friends, conversant with the requirements of place and time, ever
employed in attaching men to himself or his master by doing good offices
to them, always attentive to his duties, desiring the good of his master,
always heedful, faithful in the discharge of his own duties., a thorough
master of the art of war and peace, conversant with the king's
requirements in respect of the great aggregate of three, beloved by both
the citizens and the inhabitants of the provinces, acquainted with all
kinds of battle-array for piercing and breaking the enemy's ranks,
competent to inspire the forces of his master with cheerfulness and joy,
capable of reading signs and gestures, acquainted with all requirements
in respect of march, skilled in the art of training elephants, free from
pride, confident of his own powers, clever in the transaction of
business, always doing what is right, of righteous conduct, surrounded by
righteous friends, of sweet speech, possessed of agreeable features,
capable of leading men, well-versed in policy, possessed of
accomplishments, energetic in action, active, possessed of ingenuity, of
a sweet temper, modest in address, patient, brave, rich, and capable of
adapting his measures to the requirement of place and time. That king who
succeeds in obtaining such a minister can never be humiliated or
overpowered by any one. Indeed, his kingdom gradually spreads over the
earth like the light of the moon. A king, again, who is conversant with
the scriptures, who regards righteousness to be superior to everything,
who is always engaged in protecting his subjects, and who is possessed of
the following virtues, obtains the love of all. He should be patient,
forgiving, pure in conduct, severe when the occasion requires it
acquainted with the efficacy of exertion, respectful in his behaviour
towards all his seniors, possessed of a knowledge of the scriptures,
ready to listen to the instructions and counsels of those that are
competent to instruct and give counsel, capable of judging correctly amid
different or opposite courses of action suggested to him, intelligent, of
a retentive memory, ready to do what is just, self-restrained, always
sweet-speeched, forgiving even unto enemies, practising charity
personally, possessed of faith, of agreeable features, ready to extend
the hand of succour to persons plunged in distress, possessed of
ministers that always seek his good, free from the fault of egoism, never
without a wife,[352] and undisposed to do anything with haste. He should
always reward his ministers when they achieve anything signal. He should
love those that are devoted to him. Avoiding idleness, he should always
attract men to himself by doing good to them. His face should always be