ning
much wealth. The earth, well protected by the king, yields crops and gold
(to the ruler and the ruled) even like a gratified mother yielding milk
to her child. Imitate the example, O king, of the flowerman and not of
the charcoal-maker. Becoming such and discharging the duty of
protection, thou mayst be able to enjoy the earth for ever.[229] If in
attacking an enemy's kingdom thy treasury becomes exhausted, thou mayst
refill it by taking wealth from all except Brahmanas. Let not thy heart
be moved, even when thou art in great distress, upon seeing Brahmanas
possessed of wealth. I need not speak then of what thou shouldst do when
thou art in affluence. Thou shouldst give them wealth to the best of thy
power and as they deserve and protect them, comforting them on all
occasions. By conducting thyself in this way, thou mayst acquire such
regions hereafter as are most difficult of acquisition. Adopting such
virtuous behaviour, do thou protect thy subjects. Thou mayst then obtain,
O delighter of the Kurus, fame that is everlasting, high, and pure.
Protect thy subjects righteously, O son of Pandu, for no regret or pain
will then be thine. Protection of the subject is the highest duty of the
king, since compassion to all creatures and protecting them from injury
has been said to be the highest merit. Persons conversant with duties
regard that to be the highest merit of the king, when, engaged in
protecting all creatures, the king displays compassion towards them. The
sin a king incurs by neglecting for a single day to protect his subjects
from fear is such that he does not attain to end of his sufferings (for
it) in hell till after a thousand years. The merit a king earns by
protecting his subjects righteously for a single day is such that he
enjoys its reward in heaven for ten thousand years. All those regions
that are acquired by persons leading duly the Garhasthya, the
Brahmacharya, and the Vanaprastha modes of life, are soon acquired by a
king by only protecting his subjects righteously. Do thou, O son of
Kunti, observe with great care this duty (of protection). Thou shalt then
obtain the reward of righteousness and no grief and pain will be thine.
Thou shalt, O son of Pandu, obtain great prosperity in heaven. Merit like
this is impossible to be acquired by persons that are not kings. A
person, therefore, who is a king, and no other, can succeed in earning
such reward of virtue. Possessed of intelligence, thou hast obta