That king who displays compassion towards all
creatures and abstains entirely from cruelty, attains to the objects of
all the modes of life. That king, O Yudhishthira, who shows compassion to
the young and the old, O son of Kunti, under every circumstance, attains
to the objects of every mode of life. That king, O perpetuator of Kuru's
race, who affords relief to all oppressed people that seek his
protection, attains to the object of the Garhasthya mode of life. That
king who protects all creatures mobile and immobile, and honours them is
they deserve, attains to the object of the Garhasthya mode of life.
Bestowing favours and inflicting punishments upon the wives and brothers,
elder and younger, and upon their sons and grandsons, are the domestic
duties of a king and these constitute his best penances. By honouring
those that are righteous and deserving of worship and protecting those
that have (by their penances) acquired it knowledge of self, a king, O
tiger among men, attains to the object of the Garhasthya mode of life.
Inviting to this home, O Bharata, persons that have betaken themselves to
that Vanaprastha and other modes of life, and treating them with food,
constitute the domestic duties of a king. That king who duly adheres to
the duties laid down by the Creator, obtains the blessed merits of all
the modes of life. That king, O son of Kunti, in whom no virtue is
wanting, that foremost of men, O Yudhishthira, is said by the learned to
be a person in the observance of the Vanaprastha and all the other modes
of life.
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