12.069
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
What, then, remains to be done especially by the king? How should the country be protected, and how should the enemies be guarded against?
O Bhārata, how should one employ a spy, how should one win the trust of the classes, and how should one win over servants, wives, and sons?
Bhīṣma said:
O great king, listen carefully to the entire code of royal conduct; what should be done first by the king or by the king's minister.
A king must always conquer his own self first; only then should he seek to conquer his enemies. If a king has not mastered himself, how can he hope to defeat his foes?
Such is self-mastery: the restraint of the five senses. A king who has conquered his senses can overcome his enemies.
O Kurunandana, shrubs should be planted in fortresses, at junctions, in city groves, and in palace gardens.
O tiger among men, in all the establishments, in every city, in the center of the city, and also in the royal palace.
Then, one should create observers in the forms of dull, blind, and deaf; among men, those who have been examined as wise, enduring hunger, thirst, and heat.
O great king, you should carefully and attentively observe all ministers, all types of friends, and sons.
In the city, the country, and among the feudatory kings, the spies should be arranged in such a way that they do not know each other.
O best of the Bharatas, you should recognize spies sent by others in markets, resting places, assemblies, and among mendicants.
Whether in gardens, parks, gatherings of scholars, dwellings, squares, assemblies, or residences, everywhere there was discussion.
Thus, O Pāṇḍava, the wise should counteract enemy espionage with their own spies; whatever is destroyed by espionage is as good as slain.
If one is not recognized or is in a position of inferiority, he should indeed make an alliance with another; or if desiring any particular object, the wise man, being hasty, should do so.
The king should associate with those who are virtuous, energetic, and knowledgeable in dharma, and protect the kingdom through righteousness.
When a great-minded king realizes that his own self is being destroyed, he should completely destroy those who have previously harmed him and those who are hated by the people.
A king who is unable either to benefit or to harm, and who is impossible to remove, such a person should be disregarded.
A wise person should set out on a journey that is unknown, without drawing attention, immediately, and should avoid being attached, careless, or weak.
The hero who is healthy, strong, powerful, and happy should command the journey, having first made the necessary arrangements for both the journey and the city.
And the king would not be under his control, even if he is powerful; but one who is lacking in strength and power, by afflicting him, would subdue him.
One seeking the kingdom, if wise, should always avoid war, but should oppress the enemy's kingdom by means such as weapons, fire, poison, and causing fainting, and should also create disputes among the favorites of the enemy's ministers.
Bṛhaspati said, "O king, wealth is acquired by three means: conciliation, giving gifts, and sowing division. A wise man should be content with whatever he is able to obtain by these means."
O Kurunandana, a wise ruler should collect offerings and a sixth part as tax from the subjects, solely for their protection.
One should not suddenly take any wealth, whether much or little, from those who follow the tenfold law, for the protection of the citizens.
Citizens should be regarded just as sons—there is no doubt about this. Devotion towards them should be shown in all dealings.
The king should always appoint his wise son, who understands all matters, to manage the kingdom's affairs, thus ensuring the kingdom is well governed.
The king should appoint ministers or his own trusted and well-wishing men in the mines, salt works, tax offices, ferries, and elephant forests.
A king who always wields the rod properly attains righteousness. The king's rod is always praised when it is properly used in accordance with righteousness.
O Bhārata, a king should be a wise knower of the Veda and its limbs, very austere, always inclined to giving and to performing sacrifices.
All these qualities may always remain firm in a king; but if the king ceases to act, how can he attain heaven or fame?
But when a king is oppressed by a more powerful king, he should organize his allies in three ways after calling for their help.
He should place the herdsmen's settlements along the roads, move the villages as well, and have all of them enter the branch towns.
He should repeatedly send the wealthy and the chiefs of the army, after conciliating them, into those protected places, fortresses, and regions.
The king himself should ensure the transportation of crops, and if entry is not possible, he should thoroughly burn them with fire.
One should either secretly approach the enemy's men among those in the fields and crops, or destroy all their wealth by one's own force.
One should always cause crossings to sink in rivers and on roads. All water should be drained out, and whatever should not be drained should be polluted.
At that time, even when allies have arrived, there was contention for the land by those who were to come, and resistance from the enemy in battle.
The king should arrange for the roots to be cut around the forts. Among all the small trees, he should spare the sacred trees.
Branches of grown trees may be cut, but in the case of sacred trees, even causing a leaf to fall must always be avoided.
He should properly arrange necklaces and sky-born rivers; likewise, he should fill the moats with trees, crocodiles, and fishes.
Side-gates should be provided for the ventilation of the city. These should also be protected with the same care as the main gates.
Heavy machines should always be placed at the gates, and hundred-slayers should be mounted and made to be under one's control.
He should bring woods and other necessary items, and likewise dig wells; he should also purify the wells that were previously made by water-seekers.
Houses that are covered with grass should be plastered with mud, and the grass should be removed from the front of the house in the month of Caitra due to the fear of fire.
The king should have food cooked only at night; during the day, no fire should burn in the house except for one performing Agnihotra.
The fire, once kindled in the smiths' and distillers' halls, should blaze; but when it enters the houses, it should then be controlled.
A severe punishment should be imposed on anyone whose fire is found burning during the day. Then, for the protection of the city, this should be publicly announced.
O best of men, beggars, actors, drunkards, madmen, mimes, and outsiders should be appointed (for such roles); otherwise, they would be at fault.
The king should make offerings everywhere—at crossroads, sacred places, assemblies, and residences—according to the deserving class.
The king should construct wide royal roads and establish resting places and marketplaces at appropriate locations.
All the treasure-houses, armories, granaries, stables for horses, elephant stables, and military establishments.
O Yudhishthira, O descendant of Kuru, no one should ever see the moats, gateways, or narrow passages; this is a secret.
Then, when afflicted by enemy forces, the king should gather oil, honey, ghee, grain, medicines, and all such resources in every possible way.
He should also cause collections of charcoal, kusa grass, muñja grass, palāśa tree, reeds, leafy plants, yavasa grass, and fuel smeared (with ghee, etc.) to be made.
The king should ensure the making and collection of all kinds of weapons, such as spears, lances, javelins, armors, and similar items.
One should especially gather all medicines, roots, fruits, and four types of physicians.
Actors, dancers, wrestlers, and magicians would all adorn and bring joy to the great city in every possible way.
If there is any doubt about someone, whether it arises from a servant, from counsel, from citizens, or from the king, or from those under one's control, he should have them act accordingly.
O king, when a task has been accomplished, one should honor others with wealth, respect, as appropriate, with conciliatory words, and by various means.
O Kurunandana, after informing or slaying the other party, the king should become free from all obligations, as prescribed in the scriptures.
A king must protect seven things. Listen to me as I tell you what they are: the self, ministers, treasury, punishment, and friends.
O Kurunandana, both the country and the city—this sevenfold kingdom—should be carefully protected.
O tiger among men, he who knows the sixfold policy, the threefold aim, and the other threefold aim likewise, enjoys this earth.
O Yudhishthira, understand that which has been stated as the sixfold policy: making peace, remaining quiet, marching, forming alliances, and so on.
Having thus separated the seats and commenced the journey, the others were divided, and then some took refuge with the enemy.
Now listen with full attention to the three aims of life as declared here: decline, stability, and growth, as well as another set of three aims.
Righteousness, wealth, and desire should be pursued according to the proper time. For it is by righteousness that a king protects his kingdom for a long time.
O son of Yādavī, you are also worthy to hear those two verses sung by Aṅgiras himself in this matter. May auspiciousness be to you.
One who has performed all duties, properly protected the earth, and governed the citizens well, attains happiness in the next world.
What is the value of a king's austerity or even his sacrifices, if all his subjects are unprotected and deprived of righteousness?
