For this reason, the king:  should always establish rules and restraints for gladdening the hearts of his people.  Rules in respect of even very trivial matters are hailed with delight by the people.  There are men who think that this world is nothing and the future also is a myth.  He that is an atheist of this type, though his heart is agitated by secret fears, should never be trusted.  If the robbers of the forest, while observing other virtues, commit depredations in respect only of property, those depredations may be regarded as harmless.  The lives of thousands of creatures are protected in consequence of robbers observing such restraints.  Slaying an enemy who is flying away from battle, ravishment of wives, ingratitude, plundering the property of a Brahmana, depriving a person of the whole of his property, violation of maidens, continued occupation of villages and towns as their lawful lords, and adulterous congress with other people’s wives—­these are regarded as wicked acts among even robbers, and robbers should always abstain from them.  It is again certain that those kings who strive (by making peace) to inspire confidence upon themselves in the hearts of the robbers, succeed, after watching all their ins and outs, in exterminating them.  For this reason, in dealing with robbers, it is necessary that they should not be exterminated outright.[403] They should be sought to be brought under the king’s way.  The king should never behave with cruelty towards them, thinking that he is more powerful than they.  Those kings that do not exterminate them outright have no fear of extermination to themselves.  They, however, that do exterminate them have always to live in fear in consequence of that act.’”

SECTION CXXXIV

“Bhishma said, ’In this connection, persons acquainted with the scriptures declare this text in respect of duty, viz., for a Kshatriya possessed of intelligence and knowledge, (the earning of) religious merit and (the acquisition of) wealth, constitute his obvious duties.  He should not, by subtle discussions on duty and unseen consequences in respect of a future world, abstain from accomplishing those two duties.  As it is useless to argue, upon seeing certain foot-prints on the ground, whether they are wolf’s or not, even so is all discussion upon the nature of righteousness and the reverse.  Nobody in this world ever sees the fruits of righteousness and unrighteousness.  A Kshatriya, therefore, should seek the acquisition of power.  He that is powerful is master of everything.  Wealth leads to the possession of an army.  He that is powerful[404] obtains intelligent advisers.  He that is without wealth is truly fallen.  A little (of anything in the world) is regarded as the dirty remnant of a feast.[405] If a strong man does even many bad acts, nobody, through fear, says or does anything (for censuring or checking him).  If righteousness and Power be associated with Truth, they can then rescue men