(Lokapala Sabhakhayana Parva)
" said,--"While the illustrious Pandavas were seated in that Sabha along with the principal Gandharvas, there came, O Bharata, unto to that assembly the celestial Rishi , conversant with the Vedas and Upanishadas, worshipped by the celestials acquainted with histories and Puranas, well-versed in all that occurred in ancient kalpas (cycles), conversant with Nyaya (logic) and the truth of moral science, possessing a complete knowledge of the six Angas (viz., pronunciation, grammar, prosody, explanation of basic terms, description of religious rites, and astronomy). He was a perfect master in reconciling contradictory texts and differentiating in applying general principles to particular cases, as also in interpreting contraries by reference to differences in situation, eloquent, resolute, intelligent, possessed of powerful memory. He was acquainted with the science of morals and politics, learned, proficient in distinguishing inferior things from superior ones, skilled in drawing inference from evidence, competent to judge of the correctness or incorrectness of syllogistic statements consisting of five propositions. He was capable of answering successively himself while arguing, with definite conclusions properly framed about religion, wealth, pleasure and salvation, of great soul and beholding this whole universe, above, below, and around, as if it were present before his eyes. He was master of both the Sankhya and Yoga systems of philosophy, ever desirous of humbling the celestials and Asuras by fomenting quarrels among them, conversant with the sciences of war and treaty, proficient in drawing conclusions by judging of things not within direct ken, as also in the six sciences of treaty, war, military campaigns, maintenance of posts against the enemy and stratagems by ambuscades and reserves. He was a thorough master of every branch of learning, fond of war and music, incapable of being repulsed by any science or any course, of action, and possessed of these and numberless other accomplishments. The Rishi, having wandered over the different worlds, came into that Sabha. And the celestial Rishi of immeasurable splendour, endued with great energy was accompanied, O monarch, by Parijata and the intelligent Raivata and Saumya and Sumukha. Possessing the speed of the mind, the Rishi came thither there and was filled with gladness upon beholding the Pandavas. The Brahmana, on arriving there, paid homage unto to by uttering blessings on him and wishing him victory. Beholding the learned Rishi arrive, the eldest of the Pandavas, conversant with all rules of duty, quickly stood up with his younger brothers. Bending low with humility, the monarch cheerfully saluted the Rishi, and gave with due ceremonies a befitting seat unto to him. The king also gave him kine and the usual offerings of the Arghya including honey and the other ingredients. Conversant with every duty the monarch also worshipped the Rishi with gems and jewels with a whole heart. Receiving that worship from in proper form, the Rishi became gratified. Thus worshipped by the Pandavas and the great Rishis, possessing a complete mastery over the Vedas, said unto to the following words bearing upon religion, wealth, pleasures and salvation.
" said--'Is the wealth thou you art earning being spent on proper objects? Doth does thy your mind take pleasure in virtue? Art thou you enjoying the pleasures of life? Doth does not thy your mind sink under their weight? O chief of men, continuest continue thou you in the noble conduct consistent with religion and wealth practised by thy your ancestors towards the three classes of subjects, (viz., good, indifferent, and bad)? Never injurest thou you religion for the sake of wealth, or both religion and wealth for the sake of pleasure that easily seduces? O thou you foremost of victorious men ever devoted to the good of all, conversant as thou you art with the timeliness of everything, followest thou you religion, wealth, pleasure and salvation dividing thy your time judiciously? O sinless one, with the six attributes of kings (viz., cleverness of speech, readiness in providing means, intelligence in dealing with the foe, memory, and acquaintance with morals and politics), dost do thou you attend to the seven means (viz., sowing dissensions, chastisement, conciliation, gifts, incantations, medicine and magic)? Examinest thou you also, after a survey of thy your own strength and weakness, the fourteen possessions of thy your foes? These are the country, forts, cars, elephants, cavalry, foot-soldiers, the principal officials of state, the zenana, food supply, computations of the army and income, the religious treatises in force, the accounts of state, the revenue, wine-shops and other secret enemies. Attendest thou you to the eight occupations (of agriculture, trade, &c), having examined, O thou you foremost of victorious monarchs, thy your own and thy your enemy's means, and having made peace with thy your enemies? O bull of the Bharata race, thy your seven principal officers of state (viz., the governor of the citadel, the commander of forces, the chief judge, the general in interior command, the chief priest, the chief physician, and the chief astrologer), have not, I hope, succumbed to the influence of thy your foes, nor have they, I hope, become idle in consequence of the wealth they have earned? They are, I hope, all obedient to thee you. Thy your counsels, I hope, are never divulged by thy your trusted spies in disguise, by thyself or by thy your ministers? Thou you ascertainest, I hope, what thy your friends, foes and strangers are about? Makest make thou you peace and makest make thou you war at proper times? Observest thou you neutrality towards strangers and persons that are neutral towards thee you? And, O hero, hast have thou you made persons like thyself, persons that are old, continent in behaviour, capable of understanding what should be done and what should not, pure as regards birth and blood, and devoted to thee you, thy your ministers? O Bharata, the victories of kings can be attributed to good counsels. O child, is thy your kingdom protected by ministers learned in Sastras, keeping their counsels close? Are thy your foes unable to injure it? Thou you hast have not become the slave of sleep? Wakest thou you at the proper time? Conversant with pursuits yielding profit, thinkest think thou you, during the small hours of night, as to what thou you shouldst should do and what thou you shouldst should not do the next day? Thou you settlest nothing alone, nor takest take counsels with many? The counsels thou you hast have resolved upon, do not become known all over thy your kingdom? Commencest commence thou you soon to accomplish measures of great utility that are easy of accomplishment? Such measures are never obstructed? Keepest keep thou you the agriculturists not out of thy your sight? They do not fear to approach thee you? Achievest achieve thou you thy your measures through persons that are trusted incorruptible, and possessed of practical experience? And, O brave king. I hope, people only know the measures already accomplished by thee you and those that have been partially accomplished and are awaiting completion, but not those that are only in contemplation and uncommenced? Have experienced teachers capable of explaining the causes of things and learned in the science of morals and every branch of learning, been appointed to instruct the princes and the chiefs of the army? Buyest thou you a single learned man by giving in exchange a thousand ignorant individuals? The man that is learned conferreth confers the greatest benefit in seasons of distress. Are thy your forts always filled with treasure, food, weapons, water, engines and instruments, as also with engineers and bowmen? Even a single minister that is intelligent, brave, with his passions under complete control, and possessed of wisdom and judgment, is capable of conferring the highest prosperity on a king or a king's son. I ask thee you, therefore, whether there is even one such minister with thee you? Seekest seek thou you to know everything about the eighteen Tirthas of the foe and fifteen of thy your own by means of three and three spies all unacquainted with one another? O slayer of all foes, watchest thou you all thy your enemies with care and attention, and unknown to them? Is the priest thou you honourest, possessed of humility, and purity of blood, and renown, and without jealousy and illiberality? Hath has any well-behaved, intelligent, and guileless Brahmana, well-up in the ordinance, been employed by thee you in the performance of thy your daily rites before the sacred fire, and doth does he remind thee you in proper time as to when thy your homa should be performed? Is the astrologer thou you hast have employed skilled in reading physiognomy, capable of interpreting omens, and competent to neutralise the effect of the disturbances of nature? Have respectable servants been employed by thee you in offices that are respectable, indifferent ones in indifferent offices, and low ones in offices that are low? Hast have thou you appointed to high offices ministers that are guileless and of well conduct for generations and above the common run? Oppressest thou you not thy your people with cruel and severe punishment? And, O bull of the Bharata race, do thy your ministers rule thy your kingdom under thy your orders? Do thy your ministers ever slight thee you like sacrificial priests slighting men that are fallen (and incapable of performing any more sacrifices) or like wives slighting husbands that are proud and incontinent in their behaviour? Is the commander of thy your forces possessed of sufficient confidence, brave, intelligent, patient, well-conducted, of good birth, devoted to thee you, and competent? Treatest thou you with consideration and regard the chief officers of thy your army that are skilled in every kind of welfare, are forward, well-behaved, and endued with prowess? Givest give thou you to thy your troops their sanctioned rations and pay in the appointed time? Thou you dost do not oppress them by withholding these? Knowest know thou you that the misery caused by arrears of pay and irregularity in the distribution of rations driveth drives the troops to mutiny, and that is called by the learned to be one of the greatest of mischiefs? Are all the principal high-born men devoted to thee you, and ready with cheerfulness to lay down their lives in battle for thy your sake? I hope no single individual of passions uncontrolled is ever permitted by thee you to rule as he likes a number of concerns at the same time appertaining to the army? Is any servant of thine yours, who hath has accomplished well a particular business by the employment of special ability, disappointed in obtaining from thee you a little more regard, and an increase of food and pay? I hope thou you rewardest reward persons of learning and humility, and skill in every kind of knowledge with gifts of wealth and honour proportionate to their qualifications. Dost do thou you support, O bull in the Bharata race, the wives and children of men that have given their lives for thee you and have been distressed on thy your account? Cherishest cherish thou you, O son of , with paternal affection the foe that hath has been weakened, or him also that hath has sought thy your shelter, having been vanquished in battle? O lord of Earth, art thou you equal unto to all men, and can every one approach thee you without fear, as if thou you wert were their mother and father? And O bull of the Bharata race, marchest march thou you, without loss of time, and reflecting well upon three kinds of forces, against thy your foe when thou you hearest hear that he is in distress? O subjugator of all foes beginnest thou you thy your march when the time cometh comes, having taken into consideration all the omens you might see, the resolutions thou you hast have made, and that the ultimate victory depends upon the twelve mandalas (such as reserves, ambuscades, &c, and payment of pay to the troops in advance)? And, O persecutor of all foes, givest give thou you gems and jewels, unto to the principal officers of enemy, as they deserve, without thy your enemy's knowledge? O son of , seekest seek thou you to conquer thy your incensed foes that are slaves to their passions, having first conquered thy your own soul and obtained the mastery over thy your own senses? Before thou you marchest march out against thy your foes, dost do thou you properly employ the four arts of reconciliation, gift (of wealth) producing disunion, and application of force? O monarch, goest go thou you out against thy your enemies, having first strengthened thy your own kingdom? And having gone out against them, exertest thou you to the utmost to obtain victory over them? And having conquered them, seekest seek thou you to protect them with care? Are thy your army consisting of four kinds of forces, viz., the regular troops, the allies, the mercenaries, and the irregulars, each furnished with the eight ingredients, viz., cars, elephants, horses, offices, infantry, camp-followers, spies possessing a thorough knowledge of the country, and ensigns led out against thy your enemies after having been well trained by superior officers? O oppressor of all foes, O great king, I hope thou you slayest thy your foes without regarding their seasons of reaping and of famine? O king, I hope thy your servants and agents in thy your own kingdom and in the kingdoms of thy your foes continue to look after their respective duties and to protect one another. O monarch, I hope trusted servants have been employed by thee you to look after thy your food, the robes thou you wearest wear and the perfumes thou you usest. I hope, O king, thy your treasury, barns, stables arsenals, and women's apartments, are all protected by servants devoted to thee you and ever seeking thy your welfare. I hope, O monarch, thou you protectest protect first thyself from thy your domestic and public servants, then from those servants of thy your relatives and from one another. Do thy your servants, O king, ever speak to thee you in the forenoon regarding thy your extravagant expenditure in respect of thy your drinks, sports, and women? Is thy your expenditure always covered by a fourth, a third or a half of thy your income? Cherishest cherish thou you always, with food and wealth, relatives, superiors, merchants, the aged, and other proteges, and the distressed? Do the accountants and clerks employed by thee you in looking after thy your income and expenditure, always appraise thee you every day in the forenoon of thy your income and expenditure? Dismissest dismiss thou you without fault servants accomplished in business and popular and devoted to thy your welfare? O Bharata, dost do thou you employ superior, indifferent, and low men, after examining them well in offices they deserve? O monarch, employest thou you in thy your business persons that are thievish or open to temptation, or hostile, or minors? Persecutest persecute thou you thy your kingdom by the help of thievish or covetous men, or minors, or women? Are the agriculturists in thy your kingdom contented. Are large tanks and lakes constructed all over thy your kingdom at proper distances, without agriculture being in thy your realm entirely dependent on the showers of heaven? Are the agriculturists in thy your kingdom wanting in either seed or food? Grantest grant thou you with kindness loans (of seed-grains) unto to the tillers, taking only a fourth in excess of every measure by the hundred? O child, are the four professions of agriculture, trade, cattle-rearing, and lending at interest, carried on by honest men? Upon these O monarch, depends the happiness of thy your people. O king, do the five brave and wise men, employed in the five offices of protecting the city, the citadel, the merchants, and the agriculturists, and punishing the criminals, always benefit thy your kingdom by working in union with one another? For the protection of thy your city, have the villages been made like towns, and the hamlets and outskirts of villages like villages? Are all these entirely under thy your supervision and sway? Are thieves and robbers that sack thy your town pursued by thy your police over the even and uneven parts of thy your kingdom? Consolest thou you women and are they protected in thy your realm? I hope thou you placest place not any confidence in them, nor divulgest any secret before any of them? O monarch, having heard of any danger and having reflected on it also, liest thou you in the inner apartments enjoying every agreeable object? Having slept during the second and the third divisions of the night, thinkest think thou you of religion and profit in the fourth division wakefully. O son of , rising from bed at the proper time and dressing thyself well, showest thou you thyself to thy your people, accompanied by ministers conversant with the auspiciousness or otherwise of moments? O represser of all foes, do men dressed in red and armed with swords and adorned with ornaments stand by thy your side to protect thy your person? O monarch! behavest behave thou you like the himself unto to those that deserve punishment and those that deserve worship, unto to those that are dear to thee you and those that thou you likest like not? O son of , seekest seek thou you to cure bodily diseases by medicines and fasts, and mental illness with the advice of the aged? I hope that the physicians engaged in looking after thy your health are well conversant with the eight kinds of treatment and are all attached and devoted to thee you. Happeneth happens it ever, O monarch, that from covetousness or folly or pride thou you failest fail to decide between the plaintiff and the defendant who have come to thee you? Deprivest deprive thou you, through covetousness or folly, of their pensions the proteges who have sought thy your shelter from trustfulness or love? Do the people that inhabit thy your realm, bought by thy your foes, ever seek to raise disputes with thee you, uniting themselves with one another? Are those amongst thy your foes that are feeble always repressed by the help of troops that are strong, by the help of both counsels and troops? Are all the principal chieftains (of thy your empire) all devoted to thee you? Are they ready to lay down their lives for thy your sake, commanded by thee you? Dost do thou you worship Brahmanas and wise men according to their merits in respect of various branches of learning? I tell thee you, such worship is without doubt, highly beneficial to thee you. Hast have thou you faith in the religion based on the three Vedas and practised by men who have gone before thee you? Dost do thou you carefully follow the practices that were followed by them? Are accomplished Brahmanas entertained in thy your house and in thy your presence with nutritive and excellent food, and do they also obtain pecuniary gifts at the conclusion of those feasts? Dost do thou you, with passions under complete control and with singleness of mind, strive to perform the sacrifices called Vajapeya and Pundarika with their full complement of rites? Bowest thou you unto to thy your relatives and superiors, the aged, the gods, the ascetics, the Brahmanas, and the tall trees (banian) in villages, that are of so much benefit to people? O sinless one, causest cause thou you ever grief or anger in any one? Do priests capable of granting thee you auspicious fruits ever stand by thy your side? O sinless one, are thy your inclinations and practices such as I have described them, and as always enhance the duration of life and spread one's renown and as always help the cause of religion, pleasure, and profit? He who conducteth conducts himself according to this way, never findeth finds his kingdom distressed or afflicted; and that monarch, subjugating the whole earth, enjoyeth enjoys a high degree of felicity. O monarch, I hope, no well-behaved, pure-souled, and respected person is ever ruined and his life taken, on a false charge or theft, by thy your ministers ignorant of Sastras and acting from greed? And, O bull among men, I hope thy your ministers never from covetousness set free a real thief, knowing him to be such and having apprehended him with the booty about him? O Bharata, I hope, thy your ministers are never won over by bribes, nor do they wrongly decide the disputes that arise between the rich and the poor. Dost do thou you keep thyself free from the fourteen vices of kings, viz., atheism, untruthfulness, anger, incautiousness, procrastination, non-visit to the wise, idleness, restlessness of mind, taking counsels with only one man, consultation with persons unacquainted with the science of profit, abandonment of a settled plan, divulgence of counsels, non-accomplishment of beneficial projects, and undertaking everything without reflection? By these, O king, even monarchs firmly seated on their thrones are ruined. Hath has thy your study of the Vedas, thy your wealth and knowledge of the Sastras and marriage been fruitful?
" continued,--After the Rishi had finished, asked,--"How, O Rishi, do the Vedas, wealth, wife, and knowledge of the Sastras bear fruit?"
"The Rishi answered,--"The Vedas are said to bear fruit when he that hath has studied them performeth performs the Agnihotra and other sacrifices. Wealth is said to bear fruit when he that hath has it enjoyeth enjoys it himself and giveth gives it away in charity. A wife is said to bear fruit when she is useful and when she beareth bears children. Knowledge of the Sastras is said to bear fruit when it resulteth results in humility and good behaviour."
" continued,--The great ascetic , having answered thus, again asked that just ruler,-"Do the officers of thy your government, O king, that are paid from the taxes levied on the community, take only their just dues from the merchants that come to thy your territories from distant lands impelled by the desire of gain? Are the merchants, O king, treated with consideration in thy your capital and kingdom, capable of bringing their goods thither there without being deceived by the false pretexts of (both the buyers and the officers of government)?
Listenest thou you always, O monarch, to the words, fraught with instructions in religion and wealth, of old men acquainted with economic doctrines? Are gifts of honey and clarified butter made to the Brahmanas intended for the increase of agricultural produce, of kine, of fruits and flowers, and for the sake of virtue? Givest give thou you always, O king, regularly unto to all the artisans and artists employed by thee you the materials of their works and their wages for periods not more than four months? Examinest thou you the works executed by those that are employed by thee you, and applaudest thou you them before good men, and rewardest reward thou you them, having shewn them proper respect? O bull of the Bharata race, followest thou you the aphorisms (of the sage) in respect of every concern particularly those relating to elephants, horses, and cars? O bull of the Bharata race, are the aphorisms relating to the science of arms, as also those that relate to the practice of engines in warfare--so useful to towns and fortified places, studied in thy your court? O sinless one, art thou you acquainted with all mysterious incantations, and with the secrets of poisons destructive of all foes? Protectest protect thou you thy your kingdom from the fear of fire, of snakes and other animals destructive of life, of disease, and Rakshasas? As acquainted thou you art with every duty, cherishest cherish thou you like a father, the blind, the dumb, the lame, the deformed, the friendless, and ascetics that have no homes. Hast have thou you banished these six evils, O monarch, viz., sleep, idleness, fear, anger, weakness of mind, and procrastination?'
" continued,--The illustrious bull among the Kurus, having heard these words of that best of Brahmanas, bowed down unto to him and worshipped his feet. And gratified with everything he heard, the monarch said unto to of celestial form,--"I shall do all that thou you hast have directed, for my knowledge hath has expanded under thy your advice!' Having said this the king acted conformably to that advice, and gained in time the whole Earth bounded by her belt of seas. again spoke, saying,--"That king who is thus employed in the protection of four orders, Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Sudras, passeth passes his days here happily and attaineth attains hereafter to the region of (heaven).'"