erity and mildness. Before smiting, O
Bharata, and while smiting, utter sweet words; and having smitten, show
them compassion and let them understand that thou art grieving and
weeping for them. Having vanquished an army, the king should address the
survivors saying, 'I am not at all glad that so many have been slain by
my troops. Alas, the latter, though repeatedly dissuaded by me, have not
obeyed my direction. I wish they (that are slain) were all alive. They
do not deserve such death. They were all good men and true, and
unretreating from battle. Such men, indeed, are rare. He that has slain
such a hero in battle, has surely done that which is not agreeable to
me.' Having uttered such speeches before the survivors of the vanquished
foe, the king should in secret honour those amongst his own troops that
have bravely slain the foe. For soothing the wounded slayers for their
sufferings at the hand of the foe, the king, desirous of attaching them
to himself, should even weep, seizing their hands affectionately. The
king should thus, under all circumstances, behave with conciliation. A
king that is fearless and virtuous, becomes the beloved of all creatures.
All creatures, also, O Bharata, trust such a ruler. Winning their trust,
he succeeds in enjoying the earth as he pleases. The king should,
therefore, by abandoning deceitfulness, seek to obtain the trust of all
creatures. He should also seek to protect his subjects from all fears if
he seek to enjoy the earth."'"

SECTION CIII

"'Yudhishthira said, "Tell me, O grandsire, how a king should behave
towards foe that is mild, towards one that is fierce, and towards one
that has many allies and a large force."

"'Bhishma said, "In this connection is cited, O Yudhishthira. the old
narrative of the discourse between Vrihaspati and Indra. Once on a time,
that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., Vasava, the chief of the celestials,
joining his palms, approached Vrihaspati, and saluting him, said these
words."

"'"Indra said, 'How, O regenerate one, should I behave towards my foes? How
should I subdue them by means of contrivances, without exterminating
them? In a collision between two armies, victory may be won by either
side. In what way should I behave so that this blazing prosperity that I
have won and that scorches all my enemies may not desert me?' Thus
addressed, Vrihaspati, skilled in Virtue, Profit, and Pleasure, possessed
of a knowledge of kingly duties, and endued