e aid of an intelligence that is derived from the
true letter and spirit of the scriptures, are worthy of praise and not
those which are made with the help of anything else. Even the words heard
from an ignorant person, if in themselves they be fraught with sense,
come to be regarded as pious and wise. In days of old, Usanas said unto
the Daityas this truth, which should remove all doubts, that scriptures
are no scriptures if they cannot stand the test of reason. The possession
or absence of knowledge that is mixed with doubts is the same thing. It
behoves thee to drive off such knowledge after tearing it up by the
roots. He who does not listen to these words of mine is to be regarded as
one that has suffered himself to be misled. Dost thou not see that thou
wert created for the accomplishment of fierce deeds? Behold me, O dear
child, how, by betaking myself, to the duties of the order of my birth, I
have despatched innumerable Kshatriyas to heaven! There are some that are
not delighted with me for this. The goat, the horse and the Kshatriya
were created by Brahman for a similar purpose (viz., for being useful to
everybody). A Kshatriya, therefore, should incessantly seek the happiness
of all creatures. The sin that attaches to killing a person that should
not be killed is equal to that which is incurred by not killing one who
deserves to be killed. Even such is the established order of things which
a weak-minded king thinks of never attending to. Therefore, a king should
display severity in making all his subjects observe their respective
duties. If this is not done, they will prowl like wolves, devouring one
another. He is a wretch among Kshatriyas in whose territories robbers go
about plundering the property of other people like crows taking little
fishes from water. Appointing high-born men possessed of Vedic knowledge
as thy ministers, do thou govern the earth, protecting thy subjects
righteously. That Kshatriya who, ignorant of the established customs and
contrivances, improperly levies taxes upon his people, is regarded as a
eunuch of his order. A king should be neither severe nor mild. If he
rules righteously he deserves praise. A king should not cast off both the
qualities; on the other hand, becoming severe (on occasions demanding
severity), he should be mild when it is necessary to be so. Painful is
the observance of Kshatriya duties. I bear a great love for thee. Thou
art created for the accomplishment of sever