In this way, having ascertained the course of actions and
their final objects the king should accomplish them heedfully; and
instructed in all matters by his spies, he may live in cheerfulness. The
king who never gives way to wrath and joy without sufficient cause, who
supervises all his acts himself, and who looks after his income and
expenditure with his own eyes, succeeds in obtaining great wealth from
the earth. That king is said to be conversant with the duties of
king-craft who rewards his officers and subjects publicly (for any good
they do), who chastises those that deserve chastisement, who protects his
own self, and who protects his kingdom from every evil. Like the Sun
shedding his rays upon everything below, the king should always look
after his kingdom himself, and aided by his intelligence he should
supervise all his spies and officers. The king should take wealth from
his subjects at the proper time. He should never proclaim what he does.
Like an intelligent man milking his cow every day, the king should milk
his kingdom every day. As the bee collects honey from flowers gradually,
the king should draw wealth gradually from his kingdom for storing it.
Having kept apart a sufficient portion, that which remains should be
spent upon acquisition of religious merit and the gratification of the
desire for pleasure. That king who is acquainted with duties and who is
possessed of intelligence would never waste what has been stored. The
king should never disregard any wealth for its littleness; he should
never disregard foes for their powerlessness; he should, by exercising
his own intelligence, examine his own self; he should never repose
confidence upon persons destitute of intelligence.
Pages:
1480
1481
1482
1483
1484
1485
1486
1487
1488
1489
1490
1491
1492
1493
1494
1495
1496
1497
1498
1499
1500
1501
1502
1503
1504