That person
who, upon beholding others, addresses them first and does so with smiles
succeeds in making everyone gratified with him. Even gifts, if not made
with agreeable speeches, do not delight the recipients, like rice without
curry. If even the possessions of men, O Sakra, be taken away with sweet
speeches, such sweetness of behaviour succeeds in reconciling the robbed.
A king, therefore, that is desirous of even inflicting chastisement
should utter sweet words. Sweetness of speech never fails of its purpose,
while, at the same time it never pains any heart. A person of good acts
and good, agreeable, and sweet speeches, has no equal.'
"Bhishma continued, 'Thus addressed by his priest, Sakra began to act
according to those instructions. Do thou also, O son of Kunti, practise
this virtue."'
SECTION LXXXV
"Yudhishthira said, 'O foremost of kings, what is that method by which a
king ruling his subjects may, in consequence of it, obtain great
blessedness and eternal fame?'
"Bhishma said, 'A king of cleansed soul and attentive to the duty of
protecting his subjects earns merit and fame, both here and hereafter, by
conducting himself righteously.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'With whom should the king behave in what way? Asked
by me, O thou of great wisdom, it behoveth thee to tell me everything
duly. Those virtues of which thou hast already spoken with respect to a
person, cannot, it is my belief, be found to exist in any single
individual.
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