Discourses on morality made with the aid of an intelligence that is derived from the true letter and spirit of the scriptures, are worthy of praise and not those which are made with the help of anything else.  Even the words heard from an ignorant person, if in themselves they be fraught with sense, come to be regarded as pious and wise.  In days of old, Usanas said unto the Daityas this truth, which should remove all doubts, that scriptures are no scriptures if they cannot stand the test of reason.  The possession or absence of knowledge that is mixed with doubts is the same thing.  It behoves thee to drive off such knowledge after tearing it up by the roots.  He who does not listen to these words of mine is to be regarded as one that has suffered himself to be misled.  Dost thou not see that thou wert created for the accomplishment of fierce deeds?  Behold me, O dear child, how, by betaking myself, to the duties of the order of my birth, I have despatched innumerable Kshatriyas to heaven!  There are some that are not delighted with me for this.  The goat, the horse and the Kshatriya were created by Brahman for a similar purpose (viz., for being useful to everybody).  A Kshatriya, therefore, should incessantly seek the happiness of all creatures.  The sin that attaches to killing a person that should not be killed is equal to that which is incurred by not killing one who deserves to be killed.  Even such is the established order of things which a weak-minded king thinks of never attending to.  Therefore, a king should display severity in making all his subjects observe their respective duties.  If this is not done, they will prowl like wolves, devouring one another.  He is a wretch among Kshatriyas in whose territories robbers go about plundering the property of other people like crows taking little fishes from water.  Appointing high-born men possessed of Vedic knowledge as thy ministers, do thou govern the earth, protecting thy subjects righteously.  That Kshatriya who, ignorant of the established customs and contrivances, improperly levies taxes upon his people, is regarded as a eunuch of his order.  A king should be neither severe nor mild.  If he rules righteously he deserves praise.  A king should not cast off both the qualities; on the other hand, becoming severe (on occasions demanding severity), he should be mild when it is necessary to be so.  Painful is the observance of Kshatriya duties.  I bear a great love for thee.  Thou art created for the accomplishment of severe acts.  Therefore, do thou rule thy kingdom.  Sakra possessed of great intelligence has said that in times of distress the great duty of a king is chastising the wicked and protecting the good.

“Yudhishthira said, ’Is there any such rule (in respect of kingly duties) which should, under no circumstances, be violated?  I ask thee this, O foremost of virtuous persons!  Tell me, O grandsire!’