The king should
not, by his thirst, destroy his own foundations as also those of others.
He should always avoid those acts in consequence of which he may become
an object of hatred to his people. Indeed, by acting in this way he may
succeed in winning popularity. The subjects hate that king who earns a
notoriety for voraciousness of appetite (in the matter of taxes and
imposts). Whence can a king who becomes an object of hatred have
prosperity? Such a king can never acquire what is for his good. A king
who is possessed of sound intelligence should milk his kingdom after the
analogy of (men acting in the matter of) calves. If the calf be permitted
to suck, it grows strong, O Bharata, and bears heavy burthens. If, on the
other hand, O Yudhishthira, the cow be milked too much, the calf becomes
lean and fails to do much service to the owner. Similarly, if the kingdom
be drained much, the subjects fail to achieve any act that is great. That
king who protects his kingdom himself and shows favour to his subjects
(in the matter of taxes and imposts) and supports himself upon what is
easily obtained, succeeds in earning many grand results. Does not the
king then obtain wealth sufficient for enabling him to cope with his
wants?[252] The entire kingdom, in that case, becomes to him his
treasury, while that which is his treasury becomes his bed chamber. If
the inhabitants of the cities and the provinces be poor, the king should,
whether they depend upon him immediately or mediately, show them
compassion to the best of his power.
Pages:
1350
1351
1352
1353
1354
1355
1356
1357
1358
1359
1360
1361
1362
1363
1364
1365
1366
1367
1368
1369
1370
1371
1372
1373
1374