Chapter 220 - Accomplishment of assistance to the king (sahāya-sampatti)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Puṣkara said:

1-7. A foremost king thus crowned along with his ministers should conquer the enemies. A brahmin or a kṣatriya should be appointed by the king as the commander-in-chief. He should also be a descendant of a noble family and well-versed in ethics. The door-keeper (should be) learned in ethics. The emissary should be speaking sweet, strong and a matchless warrior. The betel-bearer (may be) a man or a woman devoted (to the king), capable of enduring fatigue and be affectionate. One who is proficient in the six expedients of royal policy^[1] should be made the minister of foreign affairs. A guard should bear the sword. A charioteer should know the strength of (the hostile) army. The chief cook (should be) a beneficiary, learned and one living in the (royal) kitchen. The courtiers should be well-versed in righteousness. The (royal) scribe should be well versed in (the art of) writing. The door-keepers should know the appropriate time of call and be beneficial. The treasurer should be a man well-acquainted with the gems and be beneficial in the acquisition of wealth. The royal physician should know the science of medicine. The superintendent of elephants should know (the science of) elephants. The rider of an elephant should be one who has conquered fatigue. The superintendent of horses should know equinology. The superintendents of forts should be beneficient and wise. The architects should be well-versed in the nature of the grounds.

8. Persons (employed) to give instructions in (the use of) weapons, should be well-versed in the use of weapons projected by the machines or discharged by the hands or not discharged entirely or discharged and held back and fight with hands. He should be beneficial to the king.

9. The officer in the harem should be old, fifty years old if women and seventy years old if men. They should be engaged in all types of work.

10-15. (The man) in (charge) of the arsenal should be wakeful. A person is employed in a task after knowing (his ability). A king should employ foremost, medium and ordinary people after knowing the tasks as excellent, medium and ordinary. A king desirous of victory should bring beneficial accomplices. Righteous men (should be engaged) in righteous acts, valorous men in tasks like battle, clever men in acts yielding material gains and men of good conduct in all acts. Eunuchs should be employed in (matters relating to) women and cruel-(hearted men) in cruel deeds. Whomsoever the king knows to be of good conduct, that person should be employed (by the kings) in the acts of piety, acquisition of wealth and pleasure. Vile people (should be employed) in bad acts. The king should employ in appropriate task those people whose fidelity has been tested. The minister should engage properly men of the same kind to find the evil doers just as an elephant (is employed to control) the wild ones.

16-24. Experts should be employed in their own fields of specialization. The servants who have been serving since the time of the grandfather and father (of the king) should be engaged to do all tasks except in matters which are to be done by the heirs. In those acts, only those who have come (in that line should be employed). Men who have come from other kings (and) desiring protege should be given protection (irrespective of the fact) whether they are bad or good. If one is known to be bad, (the king) should not trust him and keep his livelihood under his control. Men who have come from a different country should be watched by (engaging) spies and then honoured (if they are found to be good). The enemies, fire, poison, serpent and the sword on one side and the trustworthy, distinguished servants (on the other side) should be known (as equal). So also the wicked servants on one side (equal the loyal servants) (?) The king should have the spies as the eyes. He should always, employ the spies. The spies should not be known to the people. They should be good and not known to each other. (He should employ the spies) in the guise of tradesmen, diplomats, astrologers, physicians and as ascetics knowing the strength and weakness (of the people). The king should not trust (the words of) a single person. He should believe the words of many. The king should make use of the likes, displeasures, merits and demerits of his servants and people, as well as the good and bad (deeds done by them) in order to control them. He should do only such acts which would attract them and desist from acts causing displeasure. The king would be adorned by the fortune of the pleasure of the people because of pleasing the people.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Alliance, war, march, halt, seeing [seeking?] shelter and duplicity.