THE MAHABHARATA OF KRISHNA-DWAIPAYANA VYASA TRANSLATE BY SABHA PARVA AND VANA PARVA

"Are thy forts always filled with treasure, food, weapons, water, engines and instruments, as also with engineers and bowmen ? Even a single minister that is intelligent, brave, with his passions under complete control, and possessed of wisdom and judgment, is capable of conferring the highest prosperity on a king or a king's son. I ask thee, therefore, whether there is even one such minister with thee ? Seekest thou to know everything about the eighteen Tirthas of the foe and fifteen of thy own by means of three and three spies all unacquainted with one another ? O slayer of all foes, watchest thou all thy enemies with care and attention, and unknown to them ? Is the priest thou honourest, possessed of humility! and purity of blood, and renown, and without jealousy and illiberally ? Hath any well-behaved, intelligent, and guileless Brahmana, well-up in the ordinance, been employed by thee in the performance of thy daily rites before the sacred fire, and doth he remind thee in proper time as to wh n thy Koma should be performed ? Is the astrologer thou hast employed skilled in reading physiognomy, capable of interpreting omens, and competent to neutralise the effect of the disturbances of nature ? Have respectable servants been employed by thee in offices that are respectable, indifferent ones in indifferent offices, and low ones in offices that are low ? Hast thou appointed to high offices ministers that are guileless and of well conduct for generations and above the common run ? Oppressest thou not thy people with cruel and severe punishment ? And, O bull of the Bharata race, do thy ministers rule thy kingdom under thy orders ? Do thy ministers ever slight thee like sacrificial priests slighting men that are fallen (and incapable of performing any more sacrifices) or like wives slighting husbands that are proud and incontinent in their behaviour ? Is the commander of thy forces possessed of sufficient confidence, brave, intelligent, patient, well-conducted, of good birth, devoted to thee, and competent ? Treatest thou with consideration and regard the chief officers of thy army that are skilled in every kind of welfare, are forward, well-behaved, and endued with prowess ? Givest thou to thy troops their sanctioned rations and pay in the appointed time ? Thou dost not oppress them by withholding these ? Knowest thou that the misery caused by arrears of pay and irregularity in the distribution of rations driveth the troops to mutiny, and that is called by the learned to be one of the greatest of mischiefs ? Are all the principal high-born men devoted to thee, and ready with cheerfulness to lay down their lives in battle for thy sake ? I hope no single individual of passions uncontrolled is ever permitted by thee to rule as he likes a number of concerns at the same time appertaining to the army ? Is any servant of thine, who hath accomplished well a particular business by the employment of special ability, disappointed in obtaining from thee a little more regard, and an increase of food and pay ? I hope thou rewardest persons of learning and humility, and skill in every kind of knowledge with gifts of wealth and honour proportionate to their qualifications" —THE MAHABHARATA OF KRISHNA-DWAIPAYANA VYASA TRANSLATE BY SABHA PARVA AND VANA PARVA