दुष्टानप्यथ वाऽदुष्टान् संश्रयेत प्रयत्नतः । दुष्टं ज्ञात्वा विश्वसेन्न तद्वृत्तिं वर्त्तयेद्वशे ।। २२०.
Whether wicked or not wicked, one should carefully take refuge in them; having recognized the wicked, one should not trust them, but keep their conduct under control.
देशान्तरागतान् पार्श्वे चारैर्ज्ञात्वा हि पूजयेत् । शत्रवोऽग्निर्विषं सर्पो निस्त्रिंशमपि चैकतः ।। २२०.
Those who have come from other lands should be honored after being investigated by spies; for enemies, fire, poison, serpents, and swords are each dangerous.
भृत्यावशिष्टं विज्ञेयाः कुभृत्याश्च तथैकतः। चारचक्षुर्भवेद्राजा नियुञ्जीत सदाचरान् ।। २२०.
One should recognize unfaithful servants and bad servants in the same way; the king should always employ spies as his eyes.
जनस्याविहितान् सोम्यांस्तथाज्ञातान् परस्परं । वणिजो मन्त्रकुशलान् सांवत्सरचिकित्सकान् ।। २२०.
Those among the people who act improperly or are unknown to each other, merchants skilled in counsel, and physicians who practice for a year—
तथा प्रव्रजिताकारान् बलाबलविवेकिनः । नैकस्य राजा श्रद्दध्याच्छ्रद्दध्याद् बहुवाक्यतः ।। २२०.
And those who appear as ascetics, who discern strength and weakness— the king should not trust one person, but should trust one who speaks much.
रागापरागौ भृत्यानां जनस्य च गुणागुणान् । शुभानामशुभानाञ्च ज्ञानङ्कुर्य्याद्वसाय च ।। २२०.
He should discern the attachments and aversions of servants and the virtues and faults of people, knowing both the good and the bad for their proper placement.
अनुरागकरं कर्म चरेज्जह्याद्विरागजं । जनानुरागया लक्ष्म्यां राजा स्याज्जनरञ्जनात् ।। २२०.
He should perform actions that inspire affection and abandon those that cause aversion; by winning the people's affection, the king attains prosperity through their delight.
एकविंशत्यधिकद्विशततमोऽध्यायः पुष्कर उवाच भृत्यः कुर्यात्तु राजाज्ञां शिष्यवत्सच्छ्रियः पतेः । न क्षिपेद्वचनं राज्ञो अनुकूलं प्रियं वदेत् ।। २२१.
Puṣkara said: A servant should carry out the king's command as a disciple does, with respect for the lord; he should not disregard the king's word, but speak what is agreeable and pleasing.
रहोगतस्य वक्तव्यमप्रियं यद्धितं भवेत् । न नियुक्तो हरेद्वित्तं नोपेक्षेत्तस्य मानकं ।। २२१.
What is unpleasant but beneficial should be spoken to the king in private; if not ordered, he should not take the king's wealth, nor neglect his honor.
राज्ञश्च न तथाकार्य्यं वेशभाषाविचेष्टितं । अन्तःपुरचराध्यक्षो वैरभूतैर्न्निराकृतैः ।। २२१.
He should not act in a way unbefitting the king, nor use vulgar speech or gestures; the superintendent of the inner apartments should not associate with those who are hostile.
संसर्ग न व्रजेद्भृत्यो राज्ञो गुह्यञ्च गोपयेत् । प्रदर्श्य कौशलं किञ्चिद्राजानन्तु विशेषयेत् ।। २२१.
A servant should not associate closely, and must keep the king’s secrets; he should display some skill and distinguish himself before the king.
राज्ञा यच्छ्रावितं गुह्यं न तल्लोके प्रकाशयेत् । आज्ञाप्यमाने बान्यस्मिन् किङ्करोमीति वा वदेत् ।। २२१.
Whatever secret the king has made known should not be revealed to the world; when ordered about something else, he should say, 'What shall I do?'
नानिर्द्दिष्टे२ द्वारि विशेन्नायोग्ये भुवि राजदृक ।। २२१.
He should not enter a door unbidden, nor go to a place unfit for the king’s sight.
शाठ्यं लौल्यं सपैशून्यं नास्तिक्यं क्षुद्रतातथा ।। २२१.
Deceit, greed, slander, atheism, and baseness—these must be avoided.
चापल्यञ्च परित्याज्यं नित्यं राकजानुजीविना । श्रुतेन विद्याशिल्पैश्च संयोज्यात्मानमात्मना ।। २२१.
Frivolity must always be abandoned by one who lives by serving the king; one should unite oneself with learning, knowledge, and skill.
नमस्कार्याः सदा चास्य पुत्रवल्लभमन्त्रिणः ।। २२१.
He should always show respect to the king’s beloved ministers as if they were his own sons.
सचिवैर्न्नास्य विश्वासो राजचित्तप्रियञ्चरेत् । त्यजेद्विरक्तं रक्तात्तु वृत्तिमीहेत राजवित् ।। २२१.
He should not place full trust in the king’s counselors, but act in a way pleasing to the king’s mind; he should abandon the disaffected, and seek his livelihood from those favored by the king.
अपृष्टश्चास्य न ब्रूयात् कामं कुर्य्यात्तथापदि । प्रसन्नो वाक्यसङ्ग्राही रहस्ये न च शङ्कते ।। २२१.
Without being asked, he should not speak; he may act as desired in an emergency; when the king is pleased, he should gather his words, and in secret, he should not be suspicious.
कुशलादिपरिप्रश्नं सम्प्रयच्छति चासनं । तत्कथाश्रवणाद्धृष्टो अप्रियाण्यपि नन्दते ।। २२१.
When the king inquires about his welfare and offers him a seat, he becomes emboldened by hearing the king’s words and rejoices even in unpleasant matters.
अल्पं दत्तं प्रगृह्णाति स्मरेत् कथान्तरेष्वपि । इति रक्तस्य कर्त्तव्यं सेवामन्यस्य वर्जयेत् ।। २२१.
He accepts even a small gift and remembers it in later conversations; such is the conduct of one favored by the king, and service to others should be avoided.
पुष्कर उवाच दुर्गसम्पत्तिमाख्यास्ये दुर्गदेशे वसेन्नृपः । वैश्यशूद्रजनप्रायोऽह्यनाहार्य्यस्तथापरैः ।। २२२.
Puṣkara said: I will describe the acquisition of fortresses; a king should dwell in a fortified region, mostly inhabited by Vaiśyas and Śūdras, and not easily accessible to outsiders.
किञ्चिद्ब्राह्मणसंयुक्तो बहुकर्म्मकरस्तथा । अदेवमातृको भक्तजलो देशः प्रशस्यने ।। २२२.
A region is praised where there are some Brāhmaṇas, many workers, not of mixed descent, devoted to service, and with abundant water.
अगम्यः परचक्राणां व्यालतस्करवर्जितः ।। २२२.
It should not be accessible to enemy armies, and should be free from wild beasts and thieves.
षण्णामेकतमं दुर्गं तच्च कृत्वा वसेद् बली । धनुर्दुंर्गं महीदुर्गं नरदुर्गं तथैव च ।। २२२.
Of the six types of fortresses, a powerful king should build and dwell in one: a fortress of bows, earth, men, trees, water, or mountains.
वार्क्षञ्चैवाम्बुदुर्गञ्च गिरिदुर्गञ्च भार्गव । सर्वोत्तमं शैलदुर्गमभेद्यं चान्यभेदनं ।। २२२.
Among these, O Bhārgava, the mountain fortress is the best, being unassailable and able to break others.
पूरन्तत्र च हट्टाद्यदेवतायतनादिकं । अनुयन्त्रायुधोपेतं सोदकं दुर्गमुत्तमं ।। २२२.
There, the best fortress is one with a town, market, shrines, and other such places, equipped with machines and weapons, and supplied with water.
राजरक्षां प्रवक्ष्यामि रक्ष्यो भूपो विषादितः । पञ्चाङ्गस्तु शिरीषः स्यान्मूत्रपिष्टो विपार्द्दनः ।। २२२.
I will now describe the king’s protection; the king must be guarded against poison; the fivefold antidote is śirīṣa, mūtrapiṣṭa, vipārddana.
शतावरी छिन्नरुहा विषघ्नी तण्डुलीयकं । कोषातकी च कल्हारी ब्राह्मी चित्रपटोलिका ।। २२२.
Śatāvarī, chinnaruhā, viṣaghnī, taṇḍulīyaka, koṣātakī, kalhārī, brāhmī, and citrapaṭolikā.
मण्डूकपर्णी वाराही धात्र्यानन्दकमेव च । उन्मादिनी सोमराजी विषघ्नं रत्नमेव च ।। २२२.
Mandukaparni, Varahi, Dhatri, Ananda, Unmadini, Somaraji, Vishaghna, and also Ratna—
वास्तुलक्षणसंयुक्ते वसन् दुर्गे सुरान्यजेत् । प्रजाश्च पालयेद्दुष्टाञ्जयेद्दानानि दापयेत् ।। २२२.
Dwelling in a fortress endowed with auspicious marks, one should worship the gods; he should protect the people, subdue the wicked, and cause gifts to be given.