haspati, if he incurs obloquy, soon regains his disposition like
heated iron dipped in water. A king should accomplish all objects, of his
own or of others, according to the means laid down in the scriptures. A
king conversant with the ways of acquiring wealth should always employ in
his acts such men as are mild indisposition, possessed of wisdom and
courage and great strength. Beholding his servants employed in acts for
which each is fit, the king should act in conformity with all of them
like the strings of a musical instrument, stretched to proper tension,
according with their intended notes. The king should do good to all
persons without transgressing the dictates of righteousness. That king
stands immovable as a hill whom everybody regards--'He is mine.' Having
set himself to the task of adjudicating between litigants, the king,
without making any difference between persons that are liked and those
that are disliked by him, should uphold justice. The king should appoint
in all his offices such men as are conversant with the characteristics of
particular families, of the masses of the people, and of different
countries; as are mild in speech; as are of middle age; as have no
faults; as are devoted to good act; as are never heedless; as are free
from rapacity; as are possessed of learning and self-restraint; as are
firm in virtue and always prepared to uphold the interests of both virtue
and profit. In this way, having ascertained the course of actions and
their final objects the king should accomplish them heedfully; and
instructed in all matters by his spies, he may live in cheerfulness. The
king who never gives way to wrath and joy without sufficient cause, who
supervises all his acts himself, and who looks after his income and
expenditure with his own eyes, succeeds in obtaining great wealth from
the earth. That king is said to be conversant with the duties of
king-craft who rewards his officers and subjects publicly (for any good
they do), who chastises those that deserve chastisement, who protects his
own self, and who protects his kingdom from every evil. Like the Sun
shedding his rays upon everything below, the king should always look
after his kingdom himself, and aided by his intelligence he should
supervise all his spies and officers. The king should take wealth from
his subjects at the proper time. He should never proclaim what he does.
Like an intelligent man milking his cow every day, the king should milk