Chapter 239 - The duties of a king (continued)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Rāma said:

1. The king, ministry, kingdom, fort, treasury, army and allies helpful to one another are said to be the seven constituents of a kingdom.

2-16. The sovereignty is the most important means of a kingdom. It should hence always be protected. Good descent, good conduct, (young in) years, good quality, compassion, quick action, consistency, truthfulness, service to the aged, gratefulness, being fortunate, intellect, possessing an unwicked retinue, able to exhibit his valour, faithfulness, foresightedness zeal, purity, generosity, modesty and virtuousness are the qualities of a pious man and a king. A king, seeking his own good, should make those belonging to a good family his attendants, be not cruel, but capable of winning the people and pure. A king should be eloquent, confident, possessing good memory, distinguished, strong, self-controlled, a leader, well-versed in polity and the different branches of fine arts, capable of facing an attack, capable of remedying all evils, one who knows the movements of hostiles, one who knows the principles of peaces making and war; capable of knowing the secret counsels (of the hostiles), knower of opportune time and place, one that takes goods in the proper way and distributes to the proper person, free from wrath, greed, fear, doing evil, haughtiness and fickleness, free from harassing others, calumny, jealousy, envy and untruth, fortunate (in getting) the counsel of the aged, able, showing his amiable manners and one that is fond of good qualities which are known to confer prosperity. Men of noble descent, virtuous, brave, learned, attached, those who would implement the rules of punishment should be the ministers of the king. The minister should moreover be havṃg good physique, a native of the country, belonging to a good family, endowed with good conduct and knowledge in arts, eloquent, courageous, possessing good eye-sight, enthusiasm, discrimination, devoid of rigidity and fickle-mindedness, friendly, capable of enduring hardship, virtuous, possessing (the qualities, of) truthfulness, good nature, firmness, perseverence, dignity, good health, able, having retentive memory, firm devotion (to the king) and not creating enmity (with other kings). memory, good application of the mind conducive to gain, decisive knowledge, firmness and guarding the secret counsels are the virtues of a minister. The royal priest should be proficient in the Vedas and codes of punishment.

17-23. The priest should do the expiatory and welfareyielding rites as laid down in Atharvaveda. The wise king should examine the fitness of these ministers with the help of experts. The two qualities of having a clear sight and skill should be examined. He should know about the family and the integrity from his own people. The three qualities—ability in service, knowledge and endurance should be examined. So also the boldness, and their pleasure in conversation should be known. Their eloquence, truthfulness, enthusiasm, greatness, endurance for hardship, firmness, loyalty and steadiness in distress should be noted. The king should know their devotion, friendship and honesty from their conduct. Likewise their strength, good nature, health, good conduct, not being fickleminded and not exhibiting their enmity (should be known) from their companions. Their gentleness and meanness should be known (from their acts) in his presence. Everywhere the virtues of them (practised) not in his presence should be gauged from results.

24-25. A region having good crops, meritorious, endowed with minerals, beneficial for cows, having plenty of water having holy cities, enchanting, abounding in elephants, having water courses and not depending on rains is commended for abundant prosperity.

26-27. It should abound with śūdras, artisans and merchants and have great enterprises and agriculturers. (It should abound with men) fondly attached (to the king), hating the hostile king, capable of enduring hardship. It should contain people who have come from different countries and who are pious, possessing cattle and strength. Such a country is commended. The head should be wise and not addicted to any vice.

28-30. The fortress should be built on hills having a river or desert or forest (as a boundary) covering a large area and having a deep moat, high walls and gateways. The fort should contain water, grains and treasures to stand a long siege. Those surrounded by water, mountain, forest, desert and archers are six (kinds of forts)^[1]. The forts should be replete with choice things, righteously acquired since the time of forefathers that would stand a heavy drain for the furtherance of righteousness etc.

31-37. (The servants should be descendants) of their forefathers’ (servants), subservient, salaried, known for their valour, belonging to a good family, able, possessing knowledge about omens. (The army of the king should be) armed with different kinds of weapons, conversant with different types of warfare, possessing varied kinds of warriors, having horses and elephants duly sanctified, which i^s endured hardships in battle and sufferings in expeditions etc. Those who administer justice should be undivided and mostly drawn from the kṣatriya community. One that is proficient in yoga, good-natured, possessing a strong army, conversing affectionately, able to wait patiently for the outcome, not divided and belonging to a good family should be befriended. Approaching from a distance, uttering words having clear meaning and agreeable to the heart and doing good deeds are the three ways of acquiring friendship. One gets three kinds of fruits such as piety, enjoyment and prosperity through the friend. The son of a friend, a newly acquired friend, an ancestral friend and one protected from distress are known to be the four kinds of friends. Truthfulness and other things and similar pleasure and pain are the qualities in the friend.

38-41. I shall describe the conduct of those who serve (the king). A servant should serve the king (to the best of his ability). Ability, good disposition, firmness, forbearance, ability to endure hardship, happiness, good conduct, enthusiasm are ornaments for the servants. A servant should serve the king to the best of his ability for the agreed period. He should give up visiting the place of enemies, doing cruel acts, haughtiness and jealousy. A servant should not exchange harsh words with his superiors. He should not publicise the confidential matters and the secret councils of his master. He should desire the prosperity of the affectionate king. He should desert a king that is not affectionate.

42. Dissuading the king from doing evil deeds and persuading him to do good deeds (are said to be) the good conduct in brief for the relatives, friends and servants.

43-45. The king, like the god of rain, should be sustainer of all good. He would take a part of the earnings from the sources of one’s earning. He should employ efficient men to be in charge of all deeds. A good king should protect eight things such as agriculture, trade, fort, bridge, elephant stable, mines, ocean (the source of gems) and the abodes of the downcast and thus follow a good code of conduct.

46. There is danger for the subjects from the (following) five sources such as the soldiers, thieves, subjects, king’s officers and the greed of the king.

47. The king should take tax after having taken note of this danger at the proper time. He has to protect his own body and the external body, the kingdom.

48. He should punish those deserving punishment and protect himself from poison as well as his wives and sons from the enemies. He should never trust them.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

It mentions only five names.