Listen to the wisdom that was spoken by Pushkara and revealed to Bhargava, a noble soul. He began by teaching the path of kingship, saying: “First, one must conquer external enemies—those who threaten from outside—before turning inward to overcome internal foes and the three kinds of adversaries that arise within. Yet, even amidst these struggles, elders, relatives, and those who are kin by affection or circumstance should always be honored as before, for respect must be maintained.” He continued, explaining the nature of friendship: “The friend of one’s father or grandfather, a companion, a border chief, even an enemy, and an artificial friend—these are the three kinds of friends known among men. Recognize their roles, O noble one.” Turning to the structure of rule, Pushkara declared: “The king, his ministers, the country, the fortress, the treasury, the army, and the ally—these seven are the limbs of the kingdom. The king is the root, the very foundation; the kingdom depends especially upon him, and he must be protected above all. If anyone betrays these limbs, let him be dealt with—harshly or gently, as the situation requires—at the proper time. The king should avoid being mocked by his servants in both worlds, for such scorn destroys his joy and reputation.” Pushkara advised that, to win the hearts of the people, the king should cultivate generosity, making gifts and speaking with a gentle smile to delight his subjects. He warned that a king who is slow to act sees his work destroyed, and that passion, arrogance, pride, enmity, and evil deeds lead to the ruin of his actions. “When something unpleasant must be said,” Pushkara counseled, “slowness is praised. The king should keep his plans secret, for a king whose counsel is hidden does not meet with disaster. By observing appearance, gestures, movement, actions, and speech—and by changes in the eyes and face—one may grasp what is hidden within. Yet, the king should not consult alone, nor should he deliberate with many. If he chooses to consult widely, he must consider each counsel separately, and even among ministers, one should not reveal the counsel of another.” He explained further: “Trust is always found somewhere among men, but the decision regarding counsel should rest with one wise person. A king perishes through lack of discipline, but gains his kingdom through discipline. From the three Vedas, he should learn the triple knowledge and the eternal science of punishment. He should also learn the science of inquiry, the knowledge of wealth, and the means of livelihood from the world. Only one who has conquered his senses is able to keep his subjects under control.” Pushkara emphasized reverence for the divine: “All the gods and twice-born should be honored, and gifts should be given to them. Gifts to the twice-born are an inexhaustible treasure, which, according to some, is never destroyed. Not turning back in battle, protecting the people, and giving gifts to Brahmins—these are the highest good for a king. He should also care for the welfare and livelihood of the destitute, the helpless, the elderly, and widowed women.” He instructed the king to uphold the established order of classes and stages of life, and to honor ascetics, though he should not trust everyone—ascetics may be trusted. Trust should be inspired only with reason grounded in the highest reality; matters should be considered as a crane does, and action taken with the courage of a lion. The king should seize like a wolf, withdraw like a hare, and strike firmly like a boar. He should be as skillful as a peacock in appearance, as steadfast in devotion as a dog, and as sweet-spoken as a cuckoo. The king must always be as wary as a crow, dwell in unknown places, and never touch food or a bed that has not been examined. He should not approach a woman he does not know, nor board an unfamiliar boat, for reckless action leads to the loss of both kingdom and life. Pushkara likened the kingdom to a calf: “Just as a calf, once grown, becomes fit for work, so too, a well-supported kingdom becomes capable of action.” He explained that all action depends on both destiny and human effort; destiny is to be contemplated, but action lies in human effort. Pushkara then clarified the nature of destiny, saying: “Know that what is called destiny is simply one’s own karma carried over from another body; therefore, wise men say that human effort is supreme in this world. Even adverse destiny is overcome by human effort, though success from virtuous deeds in the past can occur even without present effort. Human effort bears fruit when joined with the wealth of destiny; both destiny and personal endeavor bring results for a person. Just as crops yield fruit at the right time through the union of rain, so one should act in accordance with duty, being neither lazy nor relying solely on destiny.” He described the four main strategies by which all undertakings succeed: conciliation, giving gifts, sowing dissension, and punishment. Listen, he said: the means are seven—conciliation, gifts, dissension, punishment, deception, neglect, and illusion. Conciliation is of two kinds: truthful and unceasing. Untruthful conciliation is used only to rebuke the wicked; but those of noble lineage, upright and steadfast in dharma, and self-controlled—even demons are won over by truthful conciliation. Thus is described the benefit of such actions. Pushkara advised: “He should reveal hope to his own people by the very fault they fear; by that same means, outsiders are divided, but one must guard against those who sow discord among kin. By calming the inner circle and doing so, one conquers the enemy.” He declared: “The highest means is giving; by giving, one enjoys both worlds. There is no one who cannot be brought under control by generosity. Only one who gives can break apart united foes; what cannot be accomplished by three, he achieves by punishment and by action.” He warned: “Everything rests on punishment; punishment, if misapplied, destroys all. A king who punishes the innocent or fails to punish the guilty is ruined. Gods, demons, serpents, men, siddhas, spirits, and birds would transgress their bounds if punishment were not upheld. Because he restrains the unrestrained and punishes even the unpunishable, and through restraint and punishment, the wise know him as Punishment.” Thus, Pushkara imparted the sacred wisdom of kingship, blending discipline, generosity, discernment, and the proper use of power, so that the king may prosper, protect his people, and uphold dharma in this world and beyond.