One who drinks alcoholic liquors, one who hates others, one who
is wrathful, one who is destitute of compassion, one who is pained at the
sights of other's happiness, one who injures friends, one who is always
engaged in taking the lives of living creatures, one who is ungrateful,
one who is vile, should be avoided. Alliances (of friendship) should
never be formed with any of them. Similarly, no alliance (of friendship)
should be formed with him who is ever intent upon marking the faults of
others. Listen now to me as I indicate the persons with whom alliances
(of friendship) may be formed. They that are well-born, they that are
possessed of eloquence and politeness of speech, they that are endued
with knowledge and science, they that are possessed of merit and other
accomplishments, they that are free from covetousness, they that are
never exhausted by labour, they that are good to their friends, they that
are grateful, they that are possessed of varied information and
knowledge, they that are destitute of avarice, they that are possessed of
agreeable qualities, they that are firm in truth, they that have subdued
their senses, they that are devoted to athletic and other exercises, they
that are of good families, they that are perpetuators of their
races,[488] they that are destitute of faults, they that are possessed of
fame, should be accepted by kings for forming alliances (of friendship)
with them, They, again, O monarch, who become pleased and contented if
one behaves with them according to the best of one's powers, they who
never get angry on occasions that do not justify anger, they who never
become displeased without sufficient cause, those persons who are well
conversant with the science of Profit and who, even when annoyed, succeed
in keeping their minds tranquil, they who devote themselves to the
service of friends at personal sacrifice, they who are never estranged
from friends but who continue unchanged (in their attachment) like a red
blanket made of wool (which does not easily change its colour),[489] they
who never disregard, from anger, those that are poor, they who never
dishonour youthful women by yielding to lust and loss of judgment, they
who never point out wrong paths to friends, they who are trustworthy,
they who are devoted to the practice of righteousness, they who regard
gold and brick-bats with an equal eye, they that adhere with firmness to
friends and well-wishers, they who muster their own people and seek the
accomplishment of the business of friends regardless of their own dignity
and casting off all the marks of their own respectability, should be
regarded as persons with whom alliances (of friendship) should be made.
Pages:
1695
1696
1697
1698
1699
1700
1701
1702
1703
1704
1705
1706
1707
1708
1709
1710
1711
1712
1713
1714
1715
1716
1717
1718
1719