Wise men only should be consulted, and affairs are to be despatched through officers that are able.  And polity must be executed through persons that are friendly; but dunces should in all affairs be excluded.  In matters religious, pious men; and in matters of gain, wise men; and in guarding families, eunuchs; and in all crooked affairs, crooked men, must be employed.  And the propriety or impropriety of the resolution of the enemy, as also their strength or weakness, must be ascertained through one’s own as well as hostile spies.  Favour should be shown to honest persons that have prudently sought protection; but lawless and disobedient individuals should be punished.  And when the king justly punisheth and showeth favour, the dignity of the law is well maintained, O son of Pritha, thus have I expounded, unto thee the hard duties of kings difficult to comprehend.  Do thou with equanimity observe these as prescribed for thy order.  The Brahmanas attain heaven through merit, mortification of the senses, and sacrifice.  The Vaisyas attain excellent state through gifts, hospitality, and religious acts.  The Kshatriyas attain the celestial regions by protecting and chastising the subjects, uninfluenced by lust, malice, avarice and anger.  If kings justly punish (their subjects), they go to the place whither repair meritorious persons.’”

SECTION CL

Vaisampayana said, “Then contracting that huge body of his, which he had assumed at will, the monkey with his arms again embraced Bhimasena.  And O Bharata, on Bhima being embraced by his brother, his fatigue went off, and all (the powers of body) as also his strength were restored.  And having gained great accession of strength, he thought that there was none equal to him in physical power.  And with tears in his eyes, the monkey from affection again addressed Bhima in choked utterance, saying, ’O hero, repair to thy own abode.  May I be incidentally remembered by thee in thy talk!  O best of Kurus, do not tell any one that I abide here.  O thou of great strength, the most excellent of the wives of the gods and Gandharvas resort to this place, and the time of their arrival is nigh.  My eyes have been blessed (by seeing thee).  And, O Bhima, having felt a human being by coming in contact with thee, I have been put in mind of that son of Raghu, who was Vishnu himself under the name of Rama, and who delighted the heart of the world; and who was as the sun in regard to the lotus face of Sita, and also to that darkness—­Ravana.  Therefore, O heroic son of Kunti, let not thy meeting with me be fruitless.  Do thou with fraternal feeling ask of me a boon, O Bharata.  If this be thy wish, that going to Varanavata, I may destroy the insignificant sons of Dhritarashtra—­even this will I immediately do.  Or if this be thy wish that, that city may be ground by me with rocks, or that I may bind Duryodhana and bring him before thee, even this will I do to-day, O thou of mighty strength.’”