subjects live happily. Subjects can be made honest by being only
frightened (by the king). Good kings never slay the wicked from motives
of retribution. (On the other hand, if they slay, they slay in
sacrifices, when the motive is to do good to the slain), Good kings
abundantly succeed in ruling their subjects properly with the aid of good
conduct (instead of cruel or punitive inflictions). If the king acts
properly, the superior subjects imitate him. The inferior people, again
in their turn, imitate their immediate superiors. Men are so constituted
that they imitate those whom they regard as their superiors.[1222] That
king who, without restraining himself, seeks to restrain others (from
evil ways) becomes an object of laughter with all men in consequence of
his being engaged in the enjoyment of all worldly pleasures as a slave of
his senses. That man who, through arrogance or error of judgment, offends
against the king in any way, should be restrained by every means. It is
by this way that he is prevented from committing offences anew. The king
should first restrain his own self if he desires to restrain others that
offend. He should punish heavily (if necessary) even friends and near
relatives. In that kingdom where a vile offender does not meet with heavy
afflictions, offences increase and righteousness decreases without doubt.
Formerly, a Brahmana, endued with clemency and possessed of learning,
taught me this. Verily, to this effect, O sire, I have been instructed by
also our grandsire of olden days, who gave such assurances of
harmlessness to people, moved by pity. Their words were, "In the Krita
age, kings should rule their subjects by adopting ways that are entirely
harmless. In the Treta age, kings conduct themselves according to ways
that conform with righteousness fallen away by a fourth from its full
complement. In the Dwapara age, they proceed according to ways conforming
with righteousness fallen away by a moiety, and in the age that follows,
according to ways conforming with righteousness fallen away by
three-fourth. When the Kati age sets in, through the wickedness of kings
and in consequence of the nature of the epoch itself, fifteen parts of
even that fourth portion of righteousness disappear, a sixteenth portion
thereof being all that then remains of it. If, O Satyavat, by adopting
the method first mentioned (viz., the practice of harmlessness),
confusion sets in, the king, considering the period of h