12.081
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
Even a very small task is difficult for one person alone; how much more so is ruling a kingdom without assistance, O grandsire?
What should be the character and conduct of the king's minister of wealth? Whom should the king trust, and whom should he not trust?
Bhīṣma said:
O king, friends of kings are of four kinds: those who are companions in wealth, those who share, natural friends, and artificial friends.
The person whose nature is rooted in dharma is considered the fifth friend, but he does not belong to just one or two; wherever there is dharma, he is present, or he may remain neutral, or he may arise from there.
One should not reveal to a person what does not please him. Kings who desire victory act using both righteousness and unrighteousness.
Among four, the two in the middle are considered the best and should always be doubted, as should the other two. All should always be regarded with suspicion; one should act directly for oneself.
A king must never be negligent in protecting his friends; for people indeed disregard a negligent king.
An evil person can become good, and a good person can turn cruel. An enemy may become a friend, and even a friend may become corrupted.
Who could ever trust a man whose mind is inconstant? Therefore, one should perform whatever principal duty is at hand.
Exclusive trust is entirely destructive of righteousness and wealth; and everywhere, distrust is no different from death.
Trust is like untimely death; for one who trusts is ruined. But the one in whom a person who desires places trust, that person lives.
Therefore, one should both trust and be cautious with some people; this is the way of conduct, dear one, and fortune is indeed eternal.
The wise know that one whom you suspect of gaining wealth in your absence should always be regarded as an enemy.
If from a person's field even water flows to another's field, then, even if the owner does not wish it, all the boundaries there would be broken.
Just as one who is frightened by excessive water seeks to divide it, so too, whoever displays such characteristics should be recognized and designated as an enemy.
He who is not satisfied by prosperity and becomes even more miserable in decline, this is declared to be the mark of a supreme enemy.
One should place trust in that person whom one believes would cease to exist if oneself were absent, just as one trusts a father.
He should be strengthened from all sides with power as he grows. He who always protects from harm, even in righteous acts and actions.
Recognize that fear of harm is the greatest sign of friendship; those who wish for his harm are regarded as his enemies.
A person who is always fearful of adversity and is satisfied only in prosperity—such a friend is said to be like oneself.
He who possesses beauty, good complexion, melodious voice, forbearance, is free from envy, is of noble birth, and endowed with good character, may be your immediate successor.
A person who is intelligent, has a good memory, is skilful, naturally compassionate, and who is never corrupted whether honoured or dishonoured, is ideal.
A priest, or if not, a teacher, or a friend who is highly praised, or a minister who resides in your house—whoever among these is supremely honored.
He should know your highest counsel and the essence of wealth and righteousness; your trust in him should be as it is in your own father.
There should not be two or three (groups), nor should they tolerate each other; it is from a single purpose that the division among beings always arises.
He who is chiefly known for his fame, who is present at the right time, who does not hate the capable, and who employs the capable ones.
He who does not abandon dharma out of desire, fear, greed, or anger, who is capable and speaks sufficiently, let him be your immediate successor.
He is brave, noble, learned, skilled in understanding, of good family, endowed with good conduct, patient, and free from envy.
These ministers, indeed, should be appointed to all duties, established, honored, properly assigned, with good assistants, and well accomplished in their own tasks.
All these, having been placed in various forms of actions, when engaged in great deeds, produce excellent results.
They always perform these actions, constantly competing with each other; and they carry out their purposes, declaring them to one another.
You should always fear your kinsmen as you fear death; just as a viceroy cannot tolerate the king's wealth, a kinsman can never tolerate it either.
O mighty-armed, no other kinsman rejoices in the destruction of the upright, the gentle, the generous, the modest, or the truth-speaker.
Being unknown is not very pleasant; others indeed disregard a man who is obscure.
For one who has been deceived by others, only a relative is the refuge. A relative never endures insult to a relative from others at any time.
A person recognizes only himself as deceived even by his relatives. Among them, though virtues exist, their lack of virtue is also apparent.
A non-relative neither shows favor nor abandons one who is injured; among relatives, both good and bad behavior are seen.
One should always honor and worship them, both by speech and by action; one should do what is pleasing to them and should not do anything unpleasing.
One should always conduct oneself among such people as if trusted yet not trusting. For, in their case, a detached person perceives neither fault nor virtue.
When a man thus lives vigilantly, even his enemies become well-disposed, and his friends become even more friendly.
He who always conducts himself in this manner among his circle of kinsmen and relations, among friends and enemies, and in positions of power, remains renowned for a long time.
