Listen, for these are the means by which a king or wise leader governs and maintains order: there are seven in all—conciliation, gifts, sowing dissension, punishment, deception, neglect, and illusion. Among these, conciliation itself is twofold: it may be truthful or it may be unceasing and persistent. When dealing with the wicked, untruthful conciliation is used only to rebuke them; but when facing those of noble lineage, upright conduct, steadfastness in dharma, and self-control, only truthful conciliation is appropriate. Indeed, even demons can be won over by honest conciliation—such is the power and benefit of acting with truth. A wise leader should inspire hope in his own people, even by addressing the very faults they fear; by this same means, he can divide outsiders. Yet, he must be ever watchful against those who would sow discord among his own kin. By calming his inner circle and dispelling their fears, he gains the strength to conquer his enemies. Of all means, the highest is generosity. Through giving, one enjoys happiness in this world and the next. There is none who cannot be won over by generosity. The generous one alone is able to break apart even united foes; and what cannot be accomplished by conciliation, gifts, or dissension, may be achieved by punishment and decisive action. Everything in society rests upon the foundation of just punishment. Yet, punishment, if misapplied, can destroy all. A king who punishes the innocent or fails to punish the guilty brings about his own ruin. Without the upholding of punishment, gods, demons, serpents, men, perfected beings, spirits, and even birds would overstep their bounds. It is because he restrains the unrestrained, punishes even the unpunishable, and maintains order through restraint and justice, that the wise know him as the very embodiment of Punishment. By his brilliance, the king is difficult to gaze upon, like the sun; by his presence, he brings delight to the world, like the moon. He pervades the world through his network of spies—like the wind, unseen yet ever present. By suppressing faults, he is like Vaivasvata, the lord of justice. When he burns away the wicked-minded, he is like fire; when he bestows gifts upon the twice-born, he is the lord of wealth. Because he pours forth streams of prosperity, he is called Varuṇa among the gods. And by sustaining the worlds with patience, the king is like Parjanya, the rain-bringer. Then Puṣkara spoke: “I will explain the proper imposition of punishment, by which a king attains the highest good. Know that three barley grains make one krishnala, and five krishnalas make one māṣa. Sixty krishnalas, O Rāma, make half a karṣa; and a suvarṇa is sixteen māṣas. A niṣka is four suvarṇas, and ten niṣkas make a dharaṇa—these are the established measures for copper, silver, and gold. The fines are set according to the degree of the offense: the middle penalty is five, and the highest is a thousand. If someone is robbed by thieves and declares, ‘I have been robbed,’ and the king restores his property, the thief is to be fined accordingly. But if one lies or speaks with contrary intent, he must pay three times the amount, as must those who give false testimony. A Brahmin who offends in this way should be exiled, but not deprived of food. One who misuses a deposit is to be fined the full value of the deposit. The same penalty applies for garments and similar items; the law is not lessened. Whoever destroys a deposit or falsely claims a deposit that was not given must be punished like a thief and pay double the penalty, as must one who, out of ignorance, sells another’s property. Even a blameless person who knowingly acts wrongly deserves punishment like a thief. Whoever, having received payment for a craft, fails to deliver it is also punishable. If someone dismisses a servant before the proper time, he is to be fined accordingly. If, after buying or selling an item, a person regrets the transaction, he may return or reclaim it within ten days; but after ten days, neither party may reverse the transaction. If a girl has been promised in marriage but not yet handed over, and the giver gives her to another, he is to be fined two hundred by the king. The highest fine should be imposed for such an act, for truthful intent and speech are always meritorious. A greedy seller is to be fined six hundred. A herdsman who, having received food and wages, fails to provide half a bow’s length of protection is at fault and should be fined a hundred, or a gold piece if he fails to protect the herd. The measure of a hundred bows marks the boundary all around a village; for a city, the king should set double or triple that, though in such cases, the camel-keeper need not inspect the produce. If, in an unprotected field, the grain is damaged, there is no punishment. But one who seizes a house, orchard, or field by threat is to be fined five hundred, or two hundred if done unknowingly. All who break boundaries are to be punished with the first degree of fine. A Kshatriya who abuses a Brahmin deserves a fine of one hundred; a Vaishya, two hundred; and a Shudra is to receive corporal punishment. If a Brahmin abuses a Kshatriya, he is fined fifty; for a Vaishya, half of fifty; for a Shudra, twelve. A Vaishya who abuses a Kshatriya incurs the first degree of fine, but a Shudra who abuses a Kshatriya should have his tongue cut off. A Shudra who gives instruction in dharma to Brahmins is to be punished; one who gives false testimony about what is heard or seen must pay double the highest fine. He who slanders the virtuous with evil words deserves the highest fine; but if this is done out of carelessness or affection, he should pay half the fine. Finally, whoever abuses his mother, father, elder brother, father-in-law, or teacher, or takes the path of his teacher without permission, is to be fined one hundred. Thus, the wise king, by following these principles, upholds dharma and ensures harmony in his realm.