thus with a sovereign, one doth not come by harm.
Even if an individual attain the highest office, he
should, as long as he is not asked or commanded, consider
himself as born-blind, having regard to the king’s
dignity, for O repressers of foes, the rulers of men
do not forgive even their sons and grandsons and brothers
when they happen to tamper with their dignity.
Kings should be served with regardful care, even as
Agni and other god; and he that is disloyal to his
sovereign, is certainly destroyed by him. Renouncing
anger, and pride, and negligence, it behoveth a man
to follow the course directed by the monarch.
After carefully deliberating on all things, a person
should set forth before the king those topics that
are both profitable and pleasant; but should a subject
be profitable without being pleasant, he should still
communicate it, despite its disagreeableness.
It behoveth a man to be well-disposed towards the king
in all his interests, and not to indulge in speech
that is alike unpleasant and profitless. Always
thinking—I am not liked by the king—one
should banish negligence, and be intent on bringing
about what is agreeable and advantageous to him.
He that swerveth not from his place, he that is not
friendly to those that are hostile to the king, he
that striveth not to do wrong to the king, is alone
worthy to dwell in a royal household. A learned
man should sit either on the king’s right or
the left; he should not sit behind him for that is
the place appointed for armed guards, and to sit before
him is always interdicted. Let none, when the
king is engaged in doing anything (in respect of his
servants) come forward pressing himself zealously
before others, for even if the aggrieved be very poor,
such conduct would still be inexcusable.[7] It behoveth
no man to reveal to others any lie the king may have
told inasmuch as the king bears ill will to those
that report his falsehoods. Kings also always
disregard persons that regard themselves as learned.
No man should be proud thinking—I am brave,
or, I am intelligent, but a person obtains the good
graces of a king and enjoys the good things of life,
by behaving agreeably to the wishes of the king.
And, O Bharata, obtaining things agreeable, and wealth
also which is so hard to acquire, a person should
always do what is profitable as well as pleasant to
the king. What man that is respected by the wise
can even think of doing mischief to one whose ire
is great impediment and whose favour is productive
of mighty fruits? No one should move his lips,
arms and thighs, before the king. A person should
speak and spit before the king only mildly. In
the presence of even laughable objects, a man should
not break out into loud laughter, like a maniac; nor
should one show (unreasonable) gravity by containing
himself, to the utmost. One should smile modestly,
to show his interest (in what is before him).
He that is ever mindful of the king’s welfare,
and is neither exhilarated by reward nor depressed