The king should himself be skilful in smiting.  He should practise liberality.  He Should have his soul under control.  He should dress himself with splendour.  He should make gifts in season and regular in his meals.  He should also be of good behaviour.  The king desirous of obtaining prosperity should always bind to his service men that are brave, devoted, incapable of being deceived by foes,[166] well-born, healthy, well-behaved, and connected with families that are well-behaved, respectable, never inclined to insult others, conversant with all the sciences, possessing a knowledge of the world and its affairs, unmindful of the future state of existence, always observant of their duties, honest, and steadfast like mountains.  There should be no difference between him and them as regards objects of enjoyment.  The only distinction should consist in his umbrella and his power or passing orders.  His conduct towards them, before or behind, should be the same.  The king who behaves in this way never comes to grief.  That crooked and covetous king who suspects everybody and who taxes his subjects heavily, is soon deprived of life by his own servants and relatives.  That king, however, who is of righteous behaviour and who is ever engaged in attracting the hearts of his people, never sinks when attacked by foes.  If overcome, he soon regains his position.  If the king is not wrathful, if he is not addicted to evil practices and not severe in his punishments, if he succeeds in keeping his passions under control, he then becomes an object of confidence unto all like the Himavat mountains (unto all creatures).  He is the best of kings who hath wisdom, who is possessed of liberality, who is ready to take advantage of the laches of foes, who has agreeable features, who is conversant with what is bad for each of the four orders of his subjects, who is prompt in action, who has his wrath under control, who is not vindictive, who is high-minded, who is not irascible by disposition, who is equal engaged in sacrifices and other religious acts, who is not given to boasting, and who vigorously prosecutes to completion all works commenced by him.  He is the best of kings in whose dominions men live fearlessly like sons in the house of their sire.  He is the best of kings whose subjects have not to hide their wealth and are conversant with what is good and what is bad for them.  He, indeed, is a king whose subjects are engaged in their respective duties and do not fear to cast off their bodies when duty calls for it; whose people, protected duly, are all of peaceful behaviour, obedient, docile, tractable, unwilling to be engaged in disputes, and inclined to liberality.  That king earns eternal merit in whose dominions there is no wickedness and dissimulation and deception and envy.  That king truly deserves to rule who honours knowledge, who is devoted to the scriptures and the good of his people, who treads in the path of the righteous, and who is liberal.  That king deserves to rule, whose spies and counsels