"Bhishma said, 'That foremost of all persons conversant with the Vedas,
viz., Utathya of Angirasa's race, discoursed cheerfully (on former
occasion) unto Yuvanaswa's son Mandhatri. I shall now, O Yudhishthira,
recite to thee everything that Utathya, that foremost of all persons
conversant with the Vedas, had said unto that king.'
"Utathya said, 'One becomes a king for acting in the interests of
righteousness and not for conducting himself capriciously. Know this, O
Mandhatri; the king is, indeed, the protector of the world. If the king
acts righteously, he attains to the position of a god. On the other
hand, if fie acts unrighteously, he sinks into hell. All creatures rest
upon righteousness. Righteousness, in its turn, rests upon the king. That
king, therefore, who upholds righteousness, is truly a king. That king
who is endued with a righteous soul and with every kind of grace is said
to be an embodiment of virtue. If a king fails to chastise
unrighteousness, the gods desert his mansion and he incurs obloquy among
men. The efforts of men who are observant of their own duties are always
crowned with success. For this reason all men seek to obey the dictates
of righteousness which are productive of prosperity. When sinfulness is
not restrained, righteous behaviour comes to an end and unrighteous
behaviour increases greatly. When sinfulness is not restrained, no one
can, according to the rights of property as laid down in the scriptures,
say, 'This thing is mine and this is not mine.' When sinfulness prevails
in the world, men cannot own and enjoy their own wives and animals and
fields and houses. The deities receive no worship, the Pitris no
offerings in Sraddhas, and guests no hospitality, when sinfulness is not
restrained. The regenerate classes do not study the Vedas, or observe
high vows, or spread out sacrifices, when sinfulness is not restrained.
The minds of men, O king, become weak and confounded like those of
persons wounded with weapons, when sinfulness is not restrained. Casting
their eyes on both the worlds, the Rishis made the king, that superior
being, intending that he should be the embodiment of righteousness on
earth. He is called Rajan in whom righteousness shines. That king,
again in whom there is no righteousness, is called a Vrishala. The
divine Dharma (righteousness) has another name, viz., Vrisha. He who
weakens Vrisha is called by the name of Vrishala. A king should,
therefore, advance the cause of righteousness. All creatures grow in the
growth of righteousness, and decay with its decay. Righteousness,
therefore, should never be permitted to decay. Righteousness is called
Dharma because it aids the acquisition and preservation of wealth
(Dhana). The sages, O king, have declared that Dharma restrains and set
bounds to all evil acts of men. The self-born (Brahman) created Dharma
for the advancement and growth of creatures. For this reason, a king
should act according to the dictates of Dharma for benefiting his
subjects. For this reason also, O tiger among kings, Dharma has been said
to be the foremost of all things. That foremost of men who rules his
subjects righteously is called a king. Disregarding lust and wrath,
observe thou the dictates of righteousness. Among all things, O chief of
Bharata's race, that conduce to the prosperity of kings, righteousness is
the foremost. Dharma, again, has sprung from the Brahmana. For this
reason, the Brahmana should always be worshipped. Thou shouldst, O
Mandhatri, gratify with humility the wishes of Brahmanas. By neglecting
to gratify the wishes of Brahmanas, the king brings danger on himself. In
consequence of such neglect, he fails to obtain any accession of friends
while his foes increase in number. In consequence of malice towards the
Brahmanas springing from his folly, the goddess of prosperity who had
formerly dwelt with him became enraged and deserted the Asura Vali, the
son of Virochana. Deserting the Asura she repaired to Indra, the chief of
the deities. Beholding the goddess living with Purandara, Vali indulged
in many vain regrets. This, O puissant one, is the results of malice and
pride. Be thou awakened, O Mandhatri, so that the goddess of prosperity
may not in wrath desert thee. The Srutis declare that Unrighteousness
begat a son named Pride upon the goddess of prosperity. This Pride, O
king, led many among the gods and the Asuras to ruin. Many royal sages
also have suffered destruction on his account. Do thou, therefore,
awaken, O king! He who succeeds in conquering him becomes a king. He, on
the other hand, who suffers himself to be conquered by him, becomes a
slave. If, O Mandhatri, thou wishest for an eternal life (of felicity),
live as a king should that does not indulge in these two, viz., Pride and
Unrighteousness! Abstain from companionship with him that is intoxicated
(with pride), him that is heedless (of the dictates of honesty), him that
is scoffer of religion, him that is insensate, and forbear to pay court
to all of them when united. Keep thy self aloof from the company of
ministers whom thou hast once punished and especially of women, as also
from mountains and uneven lands and inaccessible fastnesses and elephants
and horses and (noxious) reptiles. Thou shouldst also give up wandering
in the night, and avoid the faults of stinginess and vanity and
boastfulness and wrath. Thou shouldst never have intercourse with unknown
women, or those of equivocal sex, or those that are lewd, or those that
are the wives of other men, or those that are virgins. When the king does
not restrain vice, a confusion of castes follows, and sinful Rakshasas,
and persons of neutral sex, and children destitute of limbs or possessed
of thick tongues, and idiots, begin to take birth in even respectable
families. Therefore, the king should take particular care to act
righteously, for the benefit of his subjects. If a king acts heedlessly,
a great evil becomes the consequence. Unrighteousness increases causing a
confusion of castes. Cold sets in during the summer months, and
disappears when its proper season comes. Drought and flood and pestilence
afflict the people. Ominous stars arise and awful comets appear on such
occasions. Diverse other portents, indicating destruction of the kingdom,
make their appearance. If the king does not take measures for his own
safety and does not protect his subjects, the latter first meet with
destruction and then destruction seizes the king himself. Two persons
combining together snatch the wealth of one, and many acting in concert
rob the two. Maidens are deflowered. Such a state of things is said to
arise from the king's faults. All rights of property come to an end among
men, when the king, abandoning righteousness, acts heedlessly.'"
