The king alone is
competent to restrain and check. That king who does not restrain his
subjects (from sin) earns a fourth part of the sins committed by his
people (in consequence of the absence of royal protection). This is the
declaration of the Srutis. Since the king shares the sins of his subjects
like their merits, he should, therefore, O monarch, restrain those
subjects of his that are sinful. The king that neglects to restrain them
becomes himself sinful. He earns (as already said) a fourth part of their
sins as he does a fourth part of their merits. The following faults of
which I speak should be checked. They are such as impoverish everyone.
What wicked act is there that a person governed by passion would not do?
A person governed by passion indulges in stimulants and meat, and
appropriates the wives and the wealth of other people, and sets a bad
example (for imitation by others). They that do not live upon alms may
beg in seasons of distress. The king should, observant of righteousness,
make gifts unto them from compassion but not from fear. Let there be no
beggars in thy kingdom, nor robbers. It is the robbers (and not virtuous
men) that give unto beggars. Such givers are not real benefactors of men.
Let such men reside in thy dominions as advance the interests of others
and do them good, but not such as exterminate others. Those officers, O
king, that take from the subjects more than what is due should be
punished. Thou shouldst then appoint others so that these will take only
what is due.
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