He should not act with hostility towards friends.  He should never employ persons not devoted to him as his spies and secret agents.  He should never accomplish his objects by persecution.  He should never, disclose his purposes before persons that are wicked.  He should speak of the merits of others but never his own.  He should take wealth from his subjects but never from those that are good.  He should never employ or take the assistance of persons that are wicked.  He should never inflict punishment without careful enquiry.  He should never disclose his counsels.  He should give away, but not to persons that are covetous.  He should repose confidence on others but never on those that have injured him.  He should not cherish malice.  He should protect his wedded wives.  He should be pure and should not always be melted by compassion.  He should not indulge much in female companionship.  He should take food that is wholesome and never that which is otherwise.  He should without pride pay regards to those that deserve them, and serve his preceptors and seniors with sincerity.  He should worship the gods without pride.  He should seek prosperity, but never do anything that brings infamy.  He should wait (upon his seniors) with humility.  He should be clever in business but should always wait for the proper time.  He should comfort men and never send them away with empty speeches.  Having favoured a person, he should not abandon him.  He should never strike in ignorance.  Having slain his foe he should never indulge in sorrow.  He should display temper, but should never do so when there is no occasion.  He should be mild, but never to those that have offended.  Conduct thyself thus while ruling thy kingdom if thou wishest to have prosperity.  The king that behaves otherwise incurs great danger.  That king who observes all these virtues that I have mentioned, reaps many blessings on earth and great rewards in heaven.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’Hearing these words of Santanu’s son, king Yudhishthira, docile in receiving instructions, possessed of great intelligence, and protected by Bhima and others, then worshipped his grandsire and from that time began to rule according to that teaching.’”

SECTION LXXI

Yudhishthira said, ’Tell me, O grand sire, in what way should the king protect his subjects so as to be able to avoid grief and so as not to offend against righteousness?’

“Bhishma said, ’I shall recite, O king, those eternal duties in brief, for if I were to mention them in detail, I would never attain to their end.  Thou shouldst worship those Brahmanas that are devoted to their duties, possessed of learning, regular in worshipping the gods, observant of high vows, and endued with other accomplishments, when they come to thy abode, and employ them in officiating in thy sacrifices.  With thy priest accompanying thee, thou shouldst rise up when they approach, and touch and worship their