ulges in feelings of rivalry with persons
possessed of no merit, that never abandons righteousness from lust or
fear or wrath or covetousness, that is adorned with humility, that is
truthful in speech and forgiving in temper, that has his soul under
control, that has a sense of dignity, and that has been tried in every
situation, should be employed by thee as thy counsellor. High descent,
purity of blood, forgiveness, cleverness, and purity of soul, bravery,
gratefulness, and truth, are, O son of Pritha, marks of superiority and
goodness. A wise man who conducts himself in this way,[245] succeeds in
disarming his very foes of their hostility and converting them into
friends. A king that has his soul under restraint, that is possessed of
wisdom, and that is desirous of prosperity, should carefully examine the
merits and demerits of his ministers. A king desirous of prosperity and
of shining in the midst of his contemporaries, should have for ministers
persons connected with his trusted friends, possessed of high birth born
in his own kingdom, incapable of being corrupted, unstained by adultery
and similar vices, well tested, belonging to good families, possessed of
learning, sprung from sires and grandsires that held similar offices, and
adorned with humility. The king should employ five such persons to look
after his affairs as are possessed of intelligence unstained by pride, a
disposition that is good, energy, patience, forgiveness, purity, loyalty,
firmness, and courage, whose merits and faults have been well tested, who
are of mature years, who are capable of bearing burthens, and who are
free from deceit. Men that are wise in speech, that are possessed of
heroism, that are full of resources under difficulties, that are of high
birth, that are truthful, that can read signs, that are free from
cruelty, that are conversant with the requirements of place and time, and
that desire the good of their masters, should be employed by the king as
his ministers in all affairs of the kingdom. One who is bereft of energy
and who has been abandoned by friends can never work with perseverance.
Such a man, if employed, fails in almost every business. A minister
possessed of little learning, even if blessed with high birth and
attentive to virtue, profit, and pleasure, becomes incompetent in
choosing proper courses of action. Similarly, a person of low descent,
even if possessed of great learning, always errs, like a blind man
without