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.[267] He is called Rajan in whom righteousness shines.  That king, again in whom there is no righteousness, is called a Vrishala.[268] 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,