clever, never succeeds in
protecting his subjects. Sovereignty, O sire, is a very happy burthen to
bear. Only that king who is possessed of wisdom and courage, and who is
conversant with the science of chastisement, can protect a kingdom. He,
on the other hand, who is without energy and intelligence, and who is not
versed in the great science, is incompetent to bear the burthen of
sovereignty. Aided by ministers of handsome features and good birth,
clever in business, devoted to their master, and possessed of great
learning, thou shouldst examine the hearts and acts of all men including
the very ascetics in the forests. Conducting thyself thus, thou wilt be
able to learn the duties of all orders of men. That will aid thee in
observing thy own duties, whether when thou art in thy country or when
thou repairest to other realms. Amongst these three objects, viz.,
Virtue, Profit, and Pleasure, Virtue is the foremost. He that is of
virtuous soul obtains great happiness both here and hereafter. If men be
treated with honour, they can abandon (for the sake of the honour thou
mayst give them) their very wives and sons. By attaching good men to
himself (by doing good offices unto them), by gifts, sweet words,
heedfulness and purity of behaviour, a king may win great prosperity. Do
not, therefore, O Mandhatri, be heedless to these qualities and acts. The
king should never be heedless in looking after his own laches, as also
after those of his foes. He should act in such a way that his foes may
not be able to detect his laches, and he should himself assail them when
theirs are visible. This is the way in which Vasava, and Yama, and
Varuna, and all the great royal sages have acted. Do thou observe the
same conduct. Do thou, O great king, adopt this behaviour which was
followed by those royal sages. Do thou soon, O bull of Bharata's race,
adept this heavenly road. The gods, the Rishis, the Pitris, and the
Gandharvas, possessed of great energy, sing the praises, both here and
hereafter, of that king whose conduct is righteous.'"

"'Bhishma continued, "Thus addressed by Utathya, O Bharata, Mandhatri
unhesitatingly did as he was directed, and became the sole lord of the
wide earth. Do thou also, O king, act righteously like Mandhatri. Thou
wilt then, after ruling the earth, obtain an abode in heaven."'"

SECTION XCII

"'Yudhishthira said, "How should a righteous king, who is desirous of
adhering to a course of righteousness, beha