12.086
Yudhishthira said:
O King, how does a ruler, by especially protecting his subjects according to dharma, attain everlasting fame?
Bhīṣma said:
One who is pure in conduct and devoted to protecting his people attains both righteousness and fame in the world.
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
O greatly wise one, you have been asked: 'Of what kind of conduct and with whom should a king interact?' Please explain this properly.
It is my opinion that these previously-mentioned qualities are not found together in any one person.
Bhīṣma said:
O greatly wise one, it is just as you say, O intelligent one. A man endowed with these qualities and virtues is indeed rare.
But, in brief, good conduct is not difficult to obtain here with effort. I shall tell you, however, how you should appoint ministers of such kind.
Four Brāhmaṇas who are physicians, eloquent, endowed with sattva, and pure; and three Śūdras who are humble and pure in their actions, were the former ones.
A charioteer and reciter of the Purāṇas should possess eight qualities, be fifty years old, confident, and free from envy.
One who is endowed with intellect and memory, is humble, sees all with equanimity; is capable in action among those who dispute, and is not greedy in matters.
The king should deliberate on counsel among the eight ministers who are completely free from the seven most severe calamities.
Then, the message should be sent throughout the kingdom and shown for the benefit of the kingdom. By this conduct, the subjects should always be regarded.
You should not accept any hidden action of yours that is destructive to the task. Indeed, if the task fails, unrighteousness would afflict you and them.
Your kingdom would scatter like birds fleeing from a hawk, and would be lost continuously like a broken boat drifting in the ocean.
If a king here protects his subjects improperly, with unrighteousness, fear arises in his heart and he is deprived of heaven.
O best of men, whoever, whether king, minister, or son, is appointed to the seat of justice but protects by unrighteous means, is (still) rooted in dharma.
Those appointed to duties who do not perform them properly, being followers of the king, put themselves first and fall along with the other kings.
The king should always be the protector of helpless people, especially those who are oppressed by the powerful and those who are miserable and talk much.
Therefore, in cases of dispute involving two sides, the strength of witnesses should be properly considered; but if there are no witnesses or no support, that case should be especially examined.
Punishment should be inflicted in proportion to the offense upon the sinful. The wealthy should be penalized with fines, and the poor with execution or imprisonment.
The king should protect the wicked even by humility or by punishments, and the virtuous by conciliation and by giving gifts.
Whoever intends to kill the king will meet with a peculiar death; the same fate applies to an ājīvika, a thief, or one who causes caste-mixing.
O lord of the people, when the king properly administers punishment, for one who is just there is no unrighteousness; here, righteousness alone is eternal.
But if an unwise person inflicts punishment out of personal desire, he will be disgraced here and, after death, will attain hell.
One should not impose punishment on others merely based on hearsay. After following scriptural authority, one should either bind or release.
A king must never kill a messenger, even in the gravest adversity. Whoever kills a messenger will enter hell along with his ministers.
If a king devoted to kṣatriya duty kills a messenger who speaks as instructed, his ancestors would incur the sin of killing an embryo.
A messenger should possess seven qualities: noble lineage, good conduct, eloquence, skill, pleasant speech, fidelity to instructions, and a good memory.
Endowed with these very virtues, the doorkeeper becomes his protector. The head-guard too, when endowed with these virtues, fulfills his role.
One who knows the principles of the treatises on righteousness and wealth, who is capable of making alliances and resolving conflicts, should be intelligent, steadfast, wise, and able to keep secrets.
A minister should be of noble birth, truthful, capable, and praised; likewise, the commander should possess only these qualities.
He is one who knows the principles of formations, machines, and weapons, is endowed with valor, endures rain, cold, heat, and winds, and knows the weaknesses of others.
You may inspire trust in others, but do not place your trust in anyone. O king, even trust in one's own sons is not considered wise.
O sinless one, I have revealed to you the true essence of the meaning of the śāstra. The supreme secret is said to be the distrust of kings.
