Vyasanas. The king should
consult with those eight ministers and hold the lead among them. He
should then publish in his kingdom, for the information of his subjects,
the results of such deliberation. Thou shouldst always, adopting such a
conduct, watch over thy people. Thou shouldst never confiscate what is
deposited with thee or appropriate as thine the thing about whose
ownership two persons may dispute. Conduct such as this would spoil the
administration of justice. If the administration of justice be thus
injured, sin will afflict thee, and afflict thy kingdom as well, and
inspire thy people with fear as little birds at the sight of the hawk.
Thy kingdom will then melt away like a boat wrecked on the sea. If a king
governs his subjects with unrighteousness, fear takes possession of his
heart and the door of heaven is closed against him. A kingdom, O bull
among men, has its root in righteousness. That minister, or king's son,
who acts unrighteously, occupying the seat of justice, and those officers
who having accepted the charge of affairs, act unjustly, moved by
self-interest, all sink in hell along with the king himself. Those
helpless men who are oppressed by the powerful and who indulge on that
account in piteous and copious lamentations, have their protector in the
king. In cases of dispute between two parties the decision should be
based upon the evidence of witnesses. If one of the disputants has no
witnesses and is helpless, the king should give the case his best
consideration. The king should cause chastisement to be meted out to
offenders according to the measure of their offences. They that are
wealthy should be punished with fines and confiscations; they that are
poor, with loss of liberty. Those that are of very wicked conduct should
be chastised by the king with even corporal inflictions. The king should
cherish all good men with agreeable speeches and gifts of wealth. He who
seeks to compass the death of the king should be punished with death to
be effected by diverse means. The same should be the punishment of one
who becomes guilty of arson or theft or such co-habitation with women as
may lead to a confusion of castes. A king, O monarch, who inflicts
punishments duly and conformably to the dictates of the science of
chastisement, incurs no sin by the act. On the other hand, he earns merit
that is eternal. That foolish king who inflicts punishments capriciously,
earns infamy here and sinks into hell he