hich is really
uncrossable. That should not be snatched from the foe which the foe would
be able to recover. One should not seek to dig at all if by digging one
would not succeed in getting at the root of the thing for which one digs.
One should never strike him whose head one would not cut off. A king
should not always act in this way. This course of conduct that I have
laid down should be pursued only in seasons of distress. Inspired by the
motive of doing thee good I have said this for instructing thee as to how
thou shouldst bear thyself when assailed by foes.'"

"'Bhishma continued, "The ruler of the kingdom of the Sauviras, hearing
these words spoken by that Brahmana inspired with the desire of doing him
good, obeyed those instructions cheerfully and obtained with his kinsmen
and friends blazing prosperity."'"

SECTION CXLI

"'Yudhishthira said, "When the high righteousness suffers decay and is
transgressed by all, when unrighteousness becomes righteousness, and
righteousness assumes the form of its reverse, when all wholesome
restraints disappear, and all truths in respect of righteousness are
disturbed and confounded, when people are oppressed by kings and robbers,
when men of all the four modes of life become stupefied in respect of
their duties, and all acts lose their merit, when men see causes of fear
on every direction in consequence of lust and covetousness and folly,
when all creatures cease to trust one another, when they slay one another
by deceitful means and deceive one another in their mutual dealings, when
houses are burnt down throughout the country, when the Brahmanas become
exceedingly afflicted, when the clouds do not pour a drop of rain, when
every one's hand is turned against every one's neighbour, when all the
necessaries of life fall under the power of robbers, when, indeed, such a
season of terrible distress sets in, by what means should a Brahmana live
who is unwilling to cast off compassion and his children? How, indeed,
should a Brahmana maintain himself at such a time? Tell me this, O
grandsire! How also should the king live at such a time when sinfulness
overtakes the world? How, O scorcher of foes, should the king live so
that he might not fall away from both righteousness and profit?"

"'Bhishma said, "O mighty-armed one, the peace and prosperity of
subjects,[425] sufficiency and seasonableness of rain, disease, death and
other fears, are all dependent on the king.[426] I have