present
himself before the king, after having obtained his permission at the
gate. No one should keep contact with royal secrets. Nor should one
desire a seat which another may covet. He who doth not, regarding himself
to be a favourite, occupy (the king's) car, or coach, or seat, or
vehicle, or elephant, is alone worthy of dwelling in a royal household.
He that sits not upon a seat the occupation of which is calculated to raise
alarm in the minds of malicious people, is alone worthy of dwelling in a
royal household. No one should unasked offer counsel (to a king). Paying
homage in season unto the king, one should silently and respectfully sit
beside the king, for kings take umbrage at babblers, and disgrace-laying
counsellors. A wise person should not contact friendship with the king's
wife, nor with the inmates of the inner apartments, nor with those that
are objects of royal displeasure. One about the king should do even the
most unimportant acts and with the king's knowledge. Behaving thus with a
sovereign, one doth not come by harm. Even if an individual attain the
highest office, he should, as long as he is not asked or commanded,
consider himself as born-blind, having regard to the king's dignity, for
O repressers of foes, the rulers of men do not forgive even their sons
and grandsons and brothers when they happen to tamper with their dignity.
Kings should be served with regardful care, even as Agni and other gods;
and he that is disloyal to his sovereign, is certainly destroyed by him.
Renouncing anger, and pride, and negligence, it behoveth a man to follow
the course directed by the monarch. After carefully deliberating on all
things, a person should set forth before the king those topics that are
both profitable and pleasant; but should a subject be profitable without
being pleasant, he should still communicate it, despite its
disagreeableness. It behoveth a man to be well-disposed towards the king
in all his interests, and not to indulge in speech that is alike
unpleasant and profitless. Always thinking--"I am not liked by the
king"--one should banish negligence, and be intent on bringing about what
is agreeable and advantageous to him. He that swerveth not from his
place, he that is not friendly to those that are hostile to the king, he
that striveth not to do wrong to the king, is alone worthy to dwell in a
royal household. A learned man should sit either on the king's right or
the left; he should not sit beh