estling,
shooting and throwing and hurling of weapons, the methods of making
presents and of storing requisite things, feeding the unfed and
supervision over those that have been fed, gifts of wealth in season,
freedom from the vices called Vyasanas, the attributes of kings, the
qualifications of military officers, the sources of the aggregate of
three and its merits and faults, the diverse kinds of evil intents, the
behaviour of dependents, suspicion against every one, the avoidance of
heedlessness, the acquisition of objects unattained, the improving of
objects already acquired, gifts to deserving persons of what has thus
been improved, expenditure of wealth for pious purposes, for acquiring
objects of desire, and for dispelling danger and distress, were all
treated in that work. The fierce vices, O chief of the Kurus, born of
temper, and those born of lust, in all of ten kinds, were mentioned in
that treatise. The four kinds of vices which the learned say are born of
lust, viz., hunting, gambling, drinking, and sexual indulgence, were
mentioned by the Self-born in that work. Rudeness of speech, fierceness,
severity of chastisement, infliction of pain on the body, suicide, and
frustrating one's own objects, these are the six kinds of faults born of
wrath, that have also been mentioned. Diverse kinds of machines and their
actions have been described there. Devastation of the enemy's
territories, attacks upon foes, the destruction and removal of landmarks
and other indications, the cutting down of large trees (for depriving the
enemy and the enemy's subjects of their refreshing shade), siege of
forts, supervision of agriculture and other useful operations, the
storage of necessaries, robes and attire (of troops), and the best means
of manufacturing them, were all described. The characteristics and uses
of Panavas, Anakas, conchs, and drums, O Yudhishthira, the six kinds of
articles (viz., gems, animals, lands, robes, female slaves, and gold) and
the means of acquiring them (for one's one self) and of destroying them
(for injuring the foe), pacification of newly acquired territories,
honouring the good, cultivating friendship with the learned, knowledge of
the rules in respect of gifts and religious rites such as homa, the touch
of auspicious articles, attention to the adornment of the body, the
manner of preparing and using food, piety of behaviour, the attainment of
prosperity by following in one path, truthfulness of sp