ld be able to govern his wrath, and all his
conclusions should be conformable to the scriptures. He should also
always pursue morality and profit and pleasure and salvation
(judiciously). The king should always conceal his counsels in respect of
these three, (viz., morality, profit, and pleasure). No greater evil can
befall the king than the disclosure of his counsels. Kings should protect
the four orders in the discharge of their duties. It is the eternal duty
of kings to prevent a confusion of duties in respect of the different
orders. The king should not repose confidence (on others than his own
servants), nor should he repose full confidence (on even his servants).
He should, by his own intelligence, look after the merits and defects of
the six essential requisites of sovereignty.[165] The king who is
observant of the laches of his foes, and judicious in the pursuit of
morality, profit, and pleasure, who sets clever spies for ascertaining
secrets and seeks to wean away the officers of his enemies by presents of
wealth, deserves applause. The king should administer justice like Yama
and amass wealth like Kuvera. He should also be observant of the merits
and defects of his own acquisitions and losses and of his own dominions.
He should feed those that have not been fed, and enquire after those that
have been fed. Possessed of sweet speech, he could speak with a smiling
(and not with a sour) countenance. He should always wait upon those that
are old in years and repress procrastination. He should never covet what
belongs to others. He should firmly follow the behaviour of the righteous
and, therefore, observe that behaviour carefully. He should never take
wealth from those that are righteous. Taking the wealth of those that are
not righteous he should give it unto them that are righteous. The king
should himself be skilful in smiting. He should practise liberality. He
should have his soul under control. He should dress himself with
splendour. He should make gifts in season and regular in his meals. He
should also be of good behaviour. The king desirous of obtaining
prosperity should always bind to his service men that are brave, devoted,
incapable of being deceived by foes,[166] well-born, healthy,
well-behaved, and connected with families that are well-behaved,
respectable, never inclined to insult others, conversant with all the
sciences, possessing a knowledge of the world and its affairs, unmindful
of the future stat