Guided by
these instances, O hero, men should bend before those that are powerful.
The man that bends his head to a powerful person really bends his head to
Indra. For these reasons, men desirous of prosperity should (elect and)
crown some person as their king. They who live in countries where anarchy
prevails cannot enjoy their wealth and wives. During times of anarchy,
the sinful man derive great pleasure by robbing the wealth of other
people. When, however, his (ill-got) wealth is snatched by others, he
wishes for a king. It is evident, therefore, that in times of anarchy the
very wicked even cannot be happy. The wealth of one is snatched away by
two. That of those two is snatched away by many acting together. He who
is not a slave is made a slave. Women, again, are forcibly abducted. For
these reasons the gods created kings for protecting the people. If there
were no king on earth for wielding the rod of chastisement, the strong
would then have preyed on the weak after the manner of fishes in the
water. In hath been heard by us that men, in days of old, in consequence
of anarchy, met with destruction, devouring one another like stronger
fishes devouring the weaker ones in the water. It hath been heard by us
that a few amongst them then, assembling together, made certain compacts,
saying, 'He who becomes harsh in speech, or violent in temper, he who
seduces or abducts other people's wives or robs the wealth that belongs
to others, should be cast off by us.
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