there existeth not in the kingdom of
Janaka a single subject that followeth not the duties of his birth. O
thou best of the Brahmanas, all the four orders here rigidly adhere to
their respective duties. King Janaka punisheth him that is wicked, even
if he be his own son; but never doth he inflict pain on him that is
virtuous. With good and able spies employed under him, he looketh upon
all with impartial eyes. Prosperity, and kingdom, and capacity to
punish, belong, O thou best of Brahmanas, to the Kshatriyas. Kings
desire high prosperity through practice of the duties that belong to
them. The king is the protector of all the four orders. As regards
myself, O Brahmana, I always sell pork and buffalo meat without slaying
those animals myself. I sell meat of animals, O regenerate _Rishi_, that
have been slain by others. I never eat meat myself; never go to my wife
except in her season; I always fast during the day, and eat, O
regenerate one, in the night. Even though the behaviour of his order is
bad, a person may yet be himself of good behaviour. So also a person may
become virtuous, although he may be slayer of animals by profession. It
is in consequence of the sinful acts of kings that virtue decreaseth
greatly, and sin beginneth to prosper. And when all this taketh place
the subjects of the kingdom begin to decay. And it is then, O Brahmana,
that ill-looking monsters, and dwarfs, and hunch-backed and large-headed
wights, and men that are blind or deaf or those that have paralysed eyes
or are destitute of the power of procreation, begin to take their birth.
It is from the sinfulness of kings that their subjects suffer numerous
mischiefs. But this our king Janaka casteth his eyes upon all his
subjects virtuously, and he is always kind unto them who, on their part,
ever adhere to their respective duties. Regarding myself, I always with
good deeds please those that speak well, as also those that speak ill of
me. Those kings that live in the observance of their own proper duties,
who are always engaged in the practice of acts that are good and honest,
who are of souls under complete control and who are endued with
readiness and alacrity, may not depend upon anything else for supporting
their power. Gift of food to the best of one's power, endurance of heat
and cold, firmness in virtue, and a regard and tenderness for all
creatures,--these attributes can never find place in a person, without
an innate desire being present in