12.095
Vāmadeva said.
The king should strive to achieve victory through non-violent means; victory gained by war is considered the lowest kind.
One should not seek what has not been attained if the foundation is not strong; for a king whose foundation is weak, success cannot be achieved.
He is the true king whose country is prosperous and endowed, whose rule is dear to the people, whose ministers are content and nourished, and whose foundation is firm.
A king whose warriors are content, pacified, and well-settled in their positions, even with little discipline, conquers the earth.
He is the king whose townsmen and countrymen are devoted to him, well-honored, prosperous, possessing grain, and firmly established.
When a person realizes that their influence and lifespan are limited, then the wise should seek to acquire the lands and wealth of others.
For one who is not attached to enjoyments and is compassionate towards beings, the objects of enjoyment increase quickly for the self-controlled person.
Just as a person cuts down a forest with an axe, so too does one destroy oneself by acting wrongly in one's own present circumstances.
Those who hate are not always destroyed by the king, even if he strikes constantly. For the one who knows how to restrain anger, there is no one who hates him.
A wise person should not perform actions that are disliked by noble people. One should contemplate what is auspicious and engage oneself in that.
The king who wishes to enjoy pleasures without fulfilling his remaining duties is neither despised by others nor tormented by his own self.
This is what happens among men: the king who conquers both worlds establishes himself in victory.
Bhīṣma said.
Thus, when Vāmadeva had spoken, the king did everything as instructed. In the same way, if you act, you too will conquer both worlds; there is no doubt about it.
