Chapter 238 - The ethics narrated by Rāma

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Agni said:

1. I have narrated the ethics [i.e., nīti] told by Puṣkara. Listen. I shall now narrate the ethics narrated by Rāma to Lakṣmaṇa for victory and that would increase piety etc.

Rāma said:

2. Wealth should be acquired by rightful means. It should be developed and guarded. It should be given to a deserving person. These are the four obligatory acts of a king.

3. Humility is the cause of statesmanship. Humility is the resultant of determination from scriptures as well as the control of senses. The king should guard the earth endowed with these.

4-5. Scriptures, knowledge, fortitude, dexterity, proficiency, reticence, energy, eloquence, generosity, endurance at the time of distress, greatness, purity, amity, renunciation, truthfulness gratitude, good family, good conduct, self-control are the qualities for gaining fortune.

6. The elephant (in the form) of senses running uncontrolled in the forest of diverse pleasures should be controlled with the goad of knowledge.

7. A king should give up the aggregate of six things, namely, lust, anger, greed, delight, pride and arrogance. The king who rejects these would be happy.

8. A king being endowed with modesty should contemplate on metaphysics, the three Vedas, emissary and polity with those well-versed in these and those practising them.

9. The knowledge about true nature of things is got through metaphysics. Virtue and vice rest on the three Vedas. Material prosperity and misfortune depend on emissary and justice and injustice on polity.

10. Abstaining from killing or causing injury to beings, courteous laṅguage, truthfulness, purity, kindness, and forbearance are the general virtues of the religious students.

11-13. One should show compassion to all beings and practise codes of conduct. Courteous words, compassion, charity and protection of one that has sought refuge are the acts of good people agreeable to pious men. Which king would do impious acts for the sake of the body that is encompassed by misery and disease and that is liable to get destroyed today or tomorrow? One should not oppress the poor people desiring his own happiness.

14-15. A poor man being oppressed kills the king by means of his anger. A king desiring his own good should conduct with more humility than that shown to a respectful kinsman with folded palms. One should always speak only in a pleasing manner to friends and foes.

16. Those who speak pleasingly are gods and those who speak harsh are animals. One should always worship gods with cleanliness and get purified with piety.

17-18. The preceptors (should be respected) as gods and friends as one’s own selves. The preceptor (should be pleased) by bowing down. The favourable pious men (should be pleased) by doing true gestures and services. The gods (should be pleased) by good deeds. A friend should be attracted by courteousness and kinsmen by showing respect.

19-22. The wife and servants (should be pleased respectively) by (showing) affection and (making) gifts. The rest of the people (should be won) by (showing) compassion. Not reviling the acts of others, maintaining to do one’s duties, kindness to wards the poor, sweet words towards all, helping a true friend even by (sacrificing one’s) life, receiving warmly the person that has come to the house, making a gift (according) to one’s ability, forbearance, absence of pride in prosperity, not jealous at other’s prosperity, not speaking words hurting (the feelings of) others, practising the vow of silence, maintaining the bondage with kinsmen, keeping even attitude towards one’s own men and taking actions conducive to welfare are the acts of greatmen.