The best time for marriage, for a girl, is from the sixteenth to the twenty-fourth year of her life and for a man, from the twenty-fifth to the forty-eighth year. The marriage of a girl of sixteen to a man of twenty-five years is called Inferior marriage. Of a girl of eighteen or twenty with a man of thirty-five or forty is called medium marriage. Of a girl of twenty-four with a man of forty-eight is called superior marriage.
The best form of marriage is that by choice (Swayamvara), after the education of the contracting parties is finished and their Brahmacharya for the aforesaid period completed. Happy is the country wherein the people devote themselves to the pursuit of knowledge, live chaste lives, and adopt the aforesaid form of marriage. Down into the depths of misery sinks that country wherein the people do not practice Brahmacharya, nor acquire knowledge, where early
*As Ashvini, Rohni, etc.**As Rose, etc.***Such as Ganges, etc.****Himdlyd.^Kali (Black), etc.^^Chaandali (an outcast), etc.+ Mend, Parrot, etc.++ As Naagi (snake), etc.+++ The idea of the sage Manu seems to be that the people should not give ugly name to their children. -Tr.
91
marriage and marriage between the unsuitable, are prevalent, for, marriage preceded by the practice of Brahmacharya and perfection of knowledge is the basis of all true reform and the source of all true happiness; the reverse of it brings on the absolute ruin of people who follow it.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Choosing a spouse
“ARYA SAMAJ MANDIR”
MAVDI GAM, DIS- RAJKOT - 360004
GUJARAT(INDIA) ,
Mobile no. 09824280834.
"In connecting himself with wife, let a man studiously avoid the following ten families, be they ever so great in political power or rank, or ever so rich in cows, goats, horses, elephants, gold or grain."* MANU 3: 6.
*Similarly, while choosing a husband, let a girl avoid a man from the aforesaid families.
"The family which is not religious, that which is destitute of men of character, that in which the study of the Veda is neglected, that the members whereof have long and thick hair on the body and that which is subject to such diseases as Piles, consumption, Asthma, Bronchitis, Dyspepsia, Epilepsy, Leprosy, and Albinism; because all these faults and diseases are transmitted to the offspring.* Therefore both husband and
*A good example is given by Sir Alfred Garrod, who writes:- "A few years since, I was consulted by a gentleman laboring under a severe form of gout with chalk stones, and although not more than fifty years old, hea had suffered from the disease for a long period. On inquiry, i ascertained that for upwards of four centuries the eldest son of the family had invariably been afflicted with gout when he came into possession of the family estate." (Gout and Rheumatic Gout, by H.A. Garrod, M.D., F.R.S.) - (Marriage and Disease, by S.A. Strahan, P.220.)As to advice respecting marriage, it may at once be said that those already suffering from any form of tubercular disease should not marry. Neither should anyone marry a member of a family in whicn consumption or other form of tubercular disease is common. - (Marriage and Disease, by S.A. Strahan, p. 212).
wife should come from good (physically, morally and intellectually) families." MANU 3: 7.
*Epilepsy is, in fact, one of the most strongly hereditary of all diseases. In this respect, it is on a footing with the suicidal impulse, melancholia, drunkenness, and gout. Dr. Russell Renolds found heredity well marked in 31 per cent of his cases, and says, " I am therefore, led to believe that an hereditary tendency of epilepsy is much more common that it is generally represented to be by recent writers on the subject." Echeverria said 28 per cent of all cases coming under his notice were hereditary. Webster in England, and Esquirol in France, declared that a third of all cases of epilepsy depended on family taint, while Dr. Gowers, one of the greatest authorities on the subject, asserts that no less than 36 per cent of all epilepsy has hereditary transmitted predisposition as a foundation.
I myself have records of 143 consecutive cases of epilepsy, as they appeared for admission into an asylum for the insane. There were 93 males and 50 females. Of the males, 344 per cent were members of families in which either epilepsy or insanity of some description had already appeared; of the females, 50 per cent belonged to the same classes; while in 398 of the total of both sexes there was positive evidence of hereditary taint. I would also remark that in a considerable number of my cases, no history of any kind could be obtained.- (Marriage and Disease, by S.A. Strahan, p - 134-135)
"Let a man never marry one who is pale and anaemic, nor one who is altogether a bigger and stronger person than himself or has a redundant member,* nor one who is an invalid, nor one either with no hair or too much hair or too much hair,** nor one immoderately talkative, nor one with red*** eyes." MANU 3: 8.
*All families in which diabetes occurs should be looked upon with suspicion, and should epilepsy, idiocy, insanity, or deaf-mutism also have appeared in the family, it is a very grave question whether marriage should be ventured upon. -(Marriage and disease, by S.A. Strahan, p.131).**Here we do at times find cases to support the theory, but it is amongst those less grave characters which, while unmistakably marked, do not so rapidly go to extinction of the family that we must find our strongest proof, among such characters are hore-lip, cleft palate, club-foot squint, cataract supernumerary fingers or toes, color-blindness, premature baldness, or greyness, deaf-mutbifida, and the like; or on the other hand, where the characters physiological. Instances of repeated transmission of any or all of the above-mentioned characters can be found everywhere around, and , doubtless, cases will present to the mind of the reader.. -(Marriage and Disease, by Dr. S.A. .Strahan, p.63).
A still more peculiar case was that of Edward Lambart, "the human porcupine", as he was called; this man's skin was covered by warty projections which were periodically moulted. He had six sons and two grandsons similarly affected, while the females of the family escaped; the two grandsons mentioned having seven sisters who were free from the peculiarity. (Dr.S.A. Strahan's Marriage and Disease, p. 71).
"In the village of Koshilovo (Grodno Government) there are over 50 peasants who have more than usual number of fingers. According to interesting particulars published in the Novoe Vremye, they are all descendants of a peasant who married in the first half of the last century, and who had extra fingers on one of his hands. In the present generation this abnormality is reported to the extent of 2, 3, 4, and 5 even additional fingers. Some cases simply show a thumb duplicated from the first joint. As the result of intermarriage the deformity is spreading to neighboring villages. It dispenses the young men from military service, however sound they may be constitutionally." - (the Eugenics Review, London.).***The word in the text is Bhura or brown. But I think this is not right. Very likely there has been a slip of the pen here. The word in the verse which has been translated into Bhura (brown) is Fingalaa which has been rendered into Pilaa or yellow in the author's book called Sanskaar Vidhi. Here however, it seems that the word means red. -Tr.
"Nor one with the name of star,* of a tree,** or of a river,*** or of a mountain,**** nor one bearing a name denoting low origin,^ or servility,^^ nor one named after a bird,+ , a snake, ++ nor one whose name inspires terror." MANU 3: 9. These names are despicable and belong to other things as well.+++ "Let him choose for his wife, a girl who has a graceful figure without any deformity, who has a pretty name, who walks gracefully like a swan or an elephant, who has fine hair and lovely teeth, and whose body is exquisitely soft." MANU 3: 10.
MAVDI GAM, DIS- RAJKOT - 360004
GUJARAT(INDIA) ,
Mobile no. 09824280834.
"In connecting himself with wife, let a man studiously avoid the following ten families, be they ever so great in political power or rank, or ever so rich in cows, goats, horses, elephants, gold or grain."* MANU 3: 6.
*Similarly, while choosing a husband, let a girl avoid a man from the aforesaid families.
"The family which is not religious, that which is destitute of men of character, that in which the study of the Veda is neglected, that the members whereof have long and thick hair on the body and that which is subject to such diseases as Piles, consumption, Asthma, Bronchitis, Dyspepsia, Epilepsy, Leprosy, and Albinism; because all these faults and diseases are transmitted to the offspring.* Therefore both husband and
*A good example is given by Sir Alfred Garrod, who writes:- "A few years since, I was consulted by a gentleman laboring under a severe form of gout with chalk stones, and although not more than fifty years old, hea had suffered from the disease for a long period. On inquiry, i ascertained that for upwards of four centuries the eldest son of the family had invariably been afflicted with gout when he came into possession of the family estate." (Gout and Rheumatic Gout, by H.A. Garrod, M.D., F.R.S.) - (Marriage and Disease, by S.A. Strahan, P.220.)As to advice respecting marriage, it may at once be said that those already suffering from any form of tubercular disease should not marry. Neither should anyone marry a member of a family in whicn consumption or other form of tubercular disease is common. - (Marriage and Disease, by S.A. Strahan, p. 212).
wife should come from good (physically, morally and intellectually) families." MANU 3: 7.
*Epilepsy is, in fact, one of the most strongly hereditary of all diseases. In this respect, it is on a footing with the suicidal impulse, melancholia, drunkenness, and gout. Dr. Russell Renolds found heredity well marked in 31 per cent of his cases, and says, " I am therefore, led to believe that an hereditary tendency of epilepsy is much more common that it is generally represented to be by recent writers on the subject." Echeverria said 28 per cent of all cases coming under his notice were hereditary. Webster in England, and Esquirol in France, declared that a third of all cases of epilepsy depended on family taint, while Dr. Gowers, one of the greatest authorities on the subject, asserts that no less than 36 per cent of all epilepsy has hereditary transmitted predisposition as a foundation.
I myself have records of 143 consecutive cases of epilepsy, as they appeared for admission into an asylum for the insane. There were 93 males and 50 females. Of the males, 344 per cent were members of families in which either epilepsy or insanity of some description had already appeared; of the females, 50 per cent belonged to the same classes; while in 398 of the total of both sexes there was positive evidence of hereditary taint. I would also remark that in a considerable number of my cases, no history of any kind could be obtained.- (Marriage and Disease, by S.A. Strahan, p - 134-135)
"Let a man never marry one who is pale and anaemic, nor one who is altogether a bigger and stronger person than himself or has a redundant member,* nor one who is an invalid, nor one either with no hair or too much hair or too much hair,** nor one immoderately talkative, nor one with red*** eyes." MANU 3: 8.
*All families in which diabetes occurs should be looked upon with suspicion, and should epilepsy, idiocy, insanity, or deaf-mutism also have appeared in the family, it is a very grave question whether marriage should be ventured upon. -(Marriage and disease, by S.A. Strahan, p.131).**Here we do at times find cases to support the theory, but it is amongst those less grave characters which, while unmistakably marked, do not so rapidly go to extinction of the family that we must find our strongest proof, among such characters are hore-lip, cleft palate, club-foot squint, cataract supernumerary fingers or toes, color-blindness, premature baldness, or greyness, deaf-mutbifida, and the like; or on the other hand, where the characters physiological. Instances of repeated transmission of any or all of the above-mentioned characters can be found everywhere around, and , doubtless, cases will present to the mind of the reader.. -(Marriage and Disease, by Dr. S.A. .Strahan, p.63).
A still more peculiar case was that of Edward Lambart, "the human porcupine", as he was called; this man's skin was covered by warty projections which were periodically moulted. He had six sons and two grandsons similarly affected, while the females of the family escaped; the two grandsons mentioned having seven sisters who were free from the peculiarity. (Dr.S.A. Strahan's Marriage and Disease, p. 71).
"In the village of Koshilovo (Grodno Government) there are over 50 peasants who have more than usual number of fingers. According to interesting particulars published in the Novoe Vremye, they are all descendants of a peasant who married in the first half of the last century, and who had extra fingers on one of his hands. In the present generation this abnormality is reported to the extent of 2, 3, 4, and 5 even additional fingers. Some cases simply show a thumb duplicated from the first joint. As the result of intermarriage the deformity is spreading to neighboring villages. It dispenses the young men from military service, however sound they may be constitutionally." - (the Eugenics Review, London.).***The word in the text is Bhura or brown. But I think this is not right. Very likely there has been a slip of the pen here. The word in the verse which has been translated into Bhura (brown) is Fingalaa which has been rendered into Pilaa or yellow in the author's book called Sanskaar Vidhi. Here however, it seems that the word means red. -Tr.
"Nor one with the name of star,* of a tree,** or of a river,*** or of a mountain,**** nor one bearing a name denoting low origin,^ or servility,^^ nor one named after a bird,+ , a snake, ++ nor one whose name inspires terror." MANU 3: 9. These names are despicable and belong to other things as well.+++ "Let him choose for his wife, a girl who has a graceful figure without any deformity, who has a pretty name, who walks gracefully like a swan or an elephant, who has fine hair and lovely teeth, and whose body is exquisitely soft." MANU 3: 10.
Brahmacharya or student life
"Let a student* who has not violated his vows of Brahmachaarya(student-life), and has conducted himself, righteously according to the advice of his preceptor, enter married life after he has studied with their subsidiary sciences, the four Vedaas, three Vedas, two Vedas, or one Veda only." MANU 3: 2.
"Let him, who has faithfully discharged his duties towards his preceptor and received from his father, - natural or spiritual (i.e., the teacher), the gift of the knowledge of the Veda, sit on an elegant bed, decked with a garland of flowers; and let his father ( natural or spiritual) honor him with the present of a cow." MANU 3: 3. A female student possessed of the aforesaid qualification should also be honored in the same way by her father.
"Let a twice-born man (Braahman, Kshatriya, and Vaish) after having obtained the consent of his teacher and taken the bath ( prescribed for the ceremony of Return Home from the seminary), return home and espouse a maid, of his own Class, endowed with excellent qualities." MANU 3: 4.
*Male or female
"A girl, who is not descended on his mother's side within the sixth degree and does not bear the same family name (Gotra) as his father's. is eligible for marriage." MANU 3: 5.
It is a fact that "we do not love or value a thing, that we are familiar with, so much as one that is hidden from our view." SHATHAPATHA BRAAHMANA. For instance, if a person has heard a great deal about the sweetness of sugar, but never tasted it, his mind is taken up with the desire of tasting it. Or when we hear a person, who is not known to us, highly extolled for his excellent qualities, it makes us very eager to make his acquaintance. For the same reason, a man should marry a girl, who comes from a distant country and is not a near relative either on his mother's side or father's side.*
The advantages and disadvantages of distant and near marriages
The advantages and disadvantages of distant and near marriages respectively are:-
Any two persons who have, in their childhood, lived near each other, played and quarreled together, loved one another, noticed each other's faults, imperfections, ebullitions of temper
*At Washington city before the National Medical Association long since in the session there, Dr. S.M. Bewis made the following shocking statement: "My researches give me authority to say that over ten per cent of the deaf and dumb, and over five percent of the blind , and nearly fifteen percent of the idiotic in our State institutions for subject of these effects, are the offspring of kindred parents."
and misbehaviors, and perhaps sometimes, even each other undressed, if married to each other, can never love each other to the extent desired.
The marriage of near relatives does not improve the race from want of interchange of fluids and essences (such as blood) of the body, it rather deteriorates it,. This is analogous to the addition of water to water, no new quality being produced.
As the addition of sugar and such medicines as ginger, improves the taste and quality of milk, so does the marriage of people, who are not related to each other (either on father's or on mother's side), improve the race.
As in the case of an invalid, change of climate and diet very often effects a cure, so does marriage with foreigners or distant people improve the health of the parties and prove beneficial in every other respect.
When the parties are nearly related to each other and live amongst their people, the sorrows and joys of one family will
affect the other and there will be many occasions for family disputes to arise; while marriages among distant people and consequent separation from relatives lengthen the thread of mutual love. This is not the case when they live near their people.
When marriages are contracted with people of foreign or distant countries, things and news from those countries can be easily obtained (and consequently relations between different countries become closely established). This not possible when people marry near relatives or persons living near their homes, or, in their own country.
In Sanskrit a daughter is called duhitri (from Du - distant, Hit - good), because the marriage of a girl to a man who comes from a distant country or distant part of the same country is productive of good.
If the bride's people do not live very far from her husband's home, there is a possibility of her parents becoming poor, as whenever she visits her parents, they will have to give her something or other by the way of a present. If their people live near at hand, on any slight friction taking place between the husband and the wife, she, feeling assured that her people will support her, will at once leave her husband and go to her parents. That may become the cause of mutual reviling and wrangling, for, women, as a rule, are so easily offended and pleased.
“ARYA SAMAJ MANDIR”
MAVDI GAM, DIS- RAJKOT - 360004
GUJARAT(INDIA) ,
Mobile no. 09824280834.
"Let him, who has faithfully discharged his duties towards his preceptor and received from his father, - natural or spiritual (i.e., the teacher), the gift of the knowledge of the Veda, sit on an elegant bed, decked with a garland of flowers; and let his father ( natural or spiritual) honor him with the present of a cow." MANU 3: 3. A female student possessed of the aforesaid qualification should also be honored in the same way by her father.
"Let a twice-born man (Braahman, Kshatriya, and Vaish) after having obtained the consent of his teacher and taken the bath ( prescribed for the ceremony of Return Home from the seminary), return home and espouse a maid, of his own Class, endowed with excellent qualities." MANU 3: 4.
*Male or female
"A girl, who is not descended on his mother's side within the sixth degree and does not bear the same family name (Gotra) as his father's. is eligible for marriage." MANU 3: 5.
It is a fact that "we do not love or value a thing, that we are familiar with, so much as one that is hidden from our view." SHATHAPATHA BRAAHMANA. For instance, if a person has heard a great deal about the sweetness of sugar, but never tasted it, his mind is taken up with the desire of tasting it. Or when we hear a person, who is not known to us, highly extolled for his excellent qualities, it makes us very eager to make his acquaintance. For the same reason, a man should marry a girl, who comes from a distant country and is not a near relative either on his mother's side or father's side.*
The advantages and disadvantages of distant and near marriages
The advantages and disadvantages of distant and near marriages respectively are:-
Any two persons who have, in their childhood, lived near each other, played and quarreled together, loved one another, noticed each other's faults, imperfections, ebullitions of temper
*At Washington city before the National Medical Association long since in the session there, Dr. S.M. Bewis made the following shocking statement: "My researches give me authority to say that over ten per cent of the deaf and dumb, and over five percent of the blind , and nearly fifteen percent of the idiotic in our State institutions for subject of these effects, are the offspring of kindred parents."
and misbehaviors, and perhaps sometimes, even each other undressed, if married to each other, can never love each other to the extent desired.
The marriage of near relatives does not improve the race from want of interchange of fluids and essences (such as blood) of the body, it rather deteriorates it,. This is analogous to the addition of water to water, no new quality being produced.
As the addition of sugar and such medicines as ginger, improves the taste and quality of milk, so does the marriage of people, who are not related to each other (either on father's or on mother's side), improve the race.
As in the case of an invalid, change of climate and diet very often effects a cure, so does marriage with foreigners or distant people improve the health of the parties and prove beneficial in every other respect.
When the parties are nearly related to each other and live amongst their people, the sorrows and joys of one family will
affect the other and there will be many occasions for family disputes to arise; while marriages among distant people and consequent separation from relatives lengthen the thread of mutual love. This is not the case when they live near their people.
When marriages are contracted with people of foreign or distant countries, things and news from those countries can be easily obtained (and consequently relations between different countries become closely established). This not possible when people marry near relatives or persons living near their homes, or, in their own country.
In Sanskrit a daughter is called duhitri (from Du - distant, Hit - good), because the marriage of a girl to a man who comes from a distant country or distant part of the same country is productive of good.
If the bride's people do not live very far from her husband's home, there is a possibility of her parents becoming poor, as whenever she visits her parents, they will have to give her something or other by the way of a present. If their people live near at hand, on any slight friction taking place between the husband and the wife, she, feeling assured that her people will support her, will at once leave her husband and go to her parents. That may become the cause of mutual reviling and wrangling, for, women, as a rule, are so easily offended and pleased.
“ARYA SAMAJ MANDIR”
MAVDI GAM, DIS- RAJKOT - 360004
GUJARAT(INDIA) ,
Mobile no. 09824280834.
Taxes By Goverment
"Let the king in conjunction with the Assembly, after full consideration, so levy taxes in his dominions as to ensure the happiness of both the rulers and the ruled. Let the king draw an annual revenue from his people little by little just as the leech, the suckling calf and the bee take their food** little by little. Let him not, through extreme covetousness, destroy the very roots of his own and others, happiness, since
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Till they are able to earn their own living.
** i.e., the blood, the milk and the honey respectively. -Tr.
he, who cuts off the roots of happiness and temporal prosperity, brings nothing but misery on himself as well as on others.
The king who can be both gently and stern as occasion demands is highly honored if he be gentle to the good and stern towards the wicked.
Having thus arranged the affairs of the State, let him devote himself to the protection and welfare of his people with diligent attention. Know that king as well as his ministers to be dead, not alive, the lives and property of those subjects are violently taken away by ruffians whilst they lament and cry aloud for help. Great shall be his suffering. Promotion of happiness of their subjects, therefore, is the highest duty of kings. The king who discharges this duty faithfully, levies taxes and governs the country with the help of the Assembly* enjoys happiness, but he who does otherwise is afflicted with misery and suffering." MANU 7: 128, 129,139, 140,141-144.
"Let the king rise in the last watch of the night, have a wash, meditate on God with his whole attention, perform Homa, pay his respects to the devoutly learned men, take his meal and enter the audience chamber. Let him standing there show respect to the people present. Having dismissed them, let him take counsel with his Prime Minister on state affairs. Thereafter let him go out for a walk or a ride, seek the top of a mountain wilderness, where there is not even the tiniest tree (to hide a person), or a sequestered house and discuss (state affairs) with him in all sincerity.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* As described in Manu in the 7th Chapter. -Tr.
"That king, whose profound thoughts other men even though combined cannot unravel, in other words, whose thought are deep, pure, centered on public good, and hidden shall rule the whole earth, even though they be poor. Let him never do even a single thing without the approval of the Assembly." MANU 7: 145 - 148.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Till they are able to earn their own living.
** i.e., the blood, the milk and the honey respectively. -Tr.
he, who cuts off the roots of happiness and temporal prosperity, brings nothing but misery on himself as well as on others.
The king who can be both gently and stern as occasion demands is highly honored if he be gentle to the good and stern towards the wicked.
Having thus arranged the affairs of the State, let him devote himself to the protection and welfare of his people with diligent attention. Know that king as well as his ministers to be dead, not alive, the lives and property of those subjects are violently taken away by ruffians whilst they lament and cry aloud for help. Great shall be his suffering. Promotion of happiness of their subjects, therefore, is the highest duty of kings. The king who discharges this duty faithfully, levies taxes and governs the country with the help of the Assembly* enjoys happiness, but he who does otherwise is afflicted with misery and suffering." MANU 7: 128, 129,139, 140,141-144.
"Let the king rise in the last watch of the night, have a wash, meditate on God with his whole attention, perform Homa, pay his respects to the devoutly learned men, take his meal and enter the audience chamber. Let him standing there show respect to the people present. Having dismissed them, let him take counsel with his Prime Minister on state affairs. Thereafter let him go out for a walk or a ride, seek the top of a mountain wilderness, where there is not even the tiniest tree (to hide a person), or a sequestered house and discuss (state affairs) with him in all sincerity.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* As described in Manu in the 7th Chapter. -Tr.
"That king, whose profound thoughts other men even though combined cannot unravel, in other words, whose thought are deep, pure, centered on public good, and hidden shall rule the whole earth, even though they be poor. Let him never do even a single thing without the approval of the Assembly." MANU 7: 145 - 148.
Taxes By Goverment
"Let the king in conjunction with the Assembly, after full consideration, so levy taxes in his dominions as to ensure the happiness of both the rulers and the ruled. Let the king draw an annual revenue from his people little by little just as the leech, the suckling calf and the bee take their food** little by little. Let him not, through extreme covetousness, destroy the very roots of his own and others, happiness, since
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Till they are able to earn their own living.
** i.e., the blood, the milk and the honey respectively. -Tr.
he, who cuts off the roots of happiness and temporal prosperity, brings nothing but misery on himself as well as on others.
The king who can be both gently and stern as occasion demands is highly honored if he be gentle to the good and stern towards the wicked.
Having thus arranged the affairs of the State, let him devote himself to the protection and welfare of his people with diligent attention. Know that king as well as his ministers to be dead, not alive, the lives and property of those subjects are violently taken away by ruffians whilst they lament and cry aloud for help. Great shall be his suffering. Promotion of happiness of their subjects, therefore, is the highest duty of kings. The king who discharges this duty faithfully, levies taxes and governs the country with the help of the Assembly* enjoys happiness, but he who does otherwise is afflicted with misery and suffering." MANU 7: 128, 129,139, 140,141-144.
"Let the king rise in the last watch of the night, have a wash, meditate on God with his whole attention, perform Homa, pay his respects to the devoutly learned men, take his meal and enter the audience chamber. Let him standing there show respect to the people present. Having dismissed them, let him take counsel with his Prime Minister on state affairs. Thereafter let him go out for a walk or a ride, seek the top of a mountain wilderness, where there is not even the tiniest tree (to hide a person), or a sequestered house and discuss (state affairs) with him in all sincerity.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* As described in Manu in the 7th Chapter. -Tr.
"That king, whose profound thoughts other men even though combined cannot unravel, in other words, whose thought are deep, pure, centered on public good, and hidden shall rule the whole earth, even though they be poor. Let him never do even a single thing without the approval of the Assembly." MANU 7: 145 - 148.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Till they are able to earn their own living.
** i.e., the blood, the milk and the honey respectively. -Tr.
he, who cuts off the roots of happiness and temporal prosperity, brings nothing but misery on himself as well as on others.
The king who can be both gently and stern as occasion demands is highly honored if he be gentle to the good and stern towards the wicked.
Having thus arranged the affairs of the State, let him devote himself to the protection and welfare of his people with diligent attention. Know that king as well as his ministers to be dead, not alive, the lives and property of those subjects are violently taken away by ruffians whilst they lament and cry aloud for help. Great shall be his suffering. Promotion of happiness of their subjects, therefore, is the highest duty of kings. The king who discharges this duty faithfully, levies taxes and governs the country with the help of the Assembly* enjoys happiness, but he who does otherwise is afflicted with misery and suffering." MANU 7: 128, 129,139, 140,141-144.
"Let the king rise in the last watch of the night, have a wash, meditate on God with his whole attention, perform Homa, pay his respects to the devoutly learned men, take his meal and enter the audience chamber. Let him standing there show respect to the people present. Having dismissed them, let him take counsel with his Prime Minister on state affairs. Thereafter let him go out for a walk or a ride, seek the top of a mountain wilderness, where there is not even the tiniest tree (to hide a person), or a sequestered house and discuss (state affairs) with him in all sincerity.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* As described in Manu in the 7th Chapter. -Tr.
"That king, whose profound thoughts other men even though combined cannot unravel, in other words, whose thought are deep, pure, centered on public good, and hidden shall rule the whole earth, even though they be poor. Let him never do even a single thing without the approval of the Assembly." MANU 7: 145 - 148.
REVENUE BY GOVERMENT
"Let the king collect his revenue through honorable, trustworthy and accomplished men possessed of excellent character. Let him, who is the President of the Assembly, his ministers and other officials, and the Assembly observe the eternal principles taught by the Vedas, and let them act like fathers to the people.
Let the Assembly appoint officials of various kinds whose sole duty it should be to see that the State officials in all departments
of their duties faithfully according to the regulations. Leth them, who discharge their duties satisfactorily, be honored, whilst those who do not, be punished properly.
In order to disseminate the knowledge of the Veda which is truly called the imperishable treasure of the kings, let the king and the Assembly show due respect to students, who return from their seminaries after having studied the Vedaas and Shaatraas in the Order of Brahmacharya as well as their teachers. This helps forward the spread of education and the progress of a country.
If a king, devoted to the warfare of his people, be defied by an enemy of equal, greater, or lessstrength, let him remember the duty of Kshatriya and never shrink from going to battle. Let him fight with such skill as may ensure his victory.
Those kings who, with the object of defeating their enemies, fight fearlessly to their utmost and never turn away from the field of battle shall obtain happiness. They must never turn their backs upon the field of battle, but it is sometime necessary to hide away from the enemy in order to obtain victory over him. Let them employ all kinds of tactics to ensure their success in battle, but let them not perish foolishly like a tiger who, when his temper is rouse, exposes himself foolishly to the fire and is thereby killed.
In the field of battle let soldiers bear in mind the duty of men of honor, and, therefore, never strike a man who is standing near a field of battle - a non-combatant - nor one who is a eunuch, nor one who with folded palms begs for peace, nor one whose hair is dishevelled or scattered (over his eyes), nor one who is sitting at ease, nor one who says 'I am at your mercy', nor one who is asleep, nor one who is unconscious or in a fit, nor one who is disarmed, nor one who is naked, nor one who is a mere spectator, nor one who is only a camp-follower, nor one who is in agony of pain
from his wounds, nor one who is an invalid, nor one who is seriously wounded, nor one who is terrified, nor one who is running away (from the field of battle).
They should make them prisoners and provide them with food, drink and other necessaries of life. The wounded should be medically attended to. They should never be teased or made to suffer in any way. They should be employed in the kind of work that suits their station, etc. the king should especially see that no one strikes a woman, a child, and old man, a wounded man and one who is diseased or afflicted with sorrow.
Let him protect and bring up their children as if they were his own daughters or sisters. Nor should he ever look upon them with the eye of lust. After the country has settled down, let him send all those, from whom he does not fear a fresh revolt, away to their own homes; but let him keep in prison all others who, he fears, may possibly raise the standard of revolt.
The soldier, who cowardly turns his back on a field of battle and is slain (by an enemy), is thus rightly punished for his disloyalty to his master who shall take unto himself all the honor due to the deceased on account of his past good conduct which begets happiness in this world and in the next. The soldier, who is killed whilst running away from the field of battle, shall never obtain happiness. All his good work is nullified by this act of cowardice. He alone wins laurels who fights faithfully.
Let the king never violate this law that carriages, horses, elephants, tents, umbrellas, grain, silver and gold, cattle such as cows, women, cases of oil and butter, and various other articles are lawful
Prize of the soldier or of the officer who takes them in war. The captors should give the sixteenth part of their loot to the king, and so should the latter distribute among the whole army the sixteenth part of what was taken by them collectively." MANU 7: 80-82, 87, 89, 91-99.
Let the wife and children have the share of the man who is killed in war. The wife and children of that man should be well look after till the children are grown up when the king should offer them suitable state appointments.
Let no one, who is desirous of augmenting the prosperity of his State and of gaining fame, victory, and happiness, transgress this law.
"What the king and the Assembly have not let them strive hard to get, what they preserved let them augment, and let them spend the augmented wealth in the diffusion of the knowledge of the Vedaas, the spread of the principles of true religion, in helping scholars and preachers of the Vedic religion, and bringing up orphans. Having learnt the fourfold object of activity let him shun sloth and live an active life.
Let him obtain what he has not got b the observance of the law, and what he has acquired let him protect with diligent attention, what he has protected let him augment by investing profitably, and let him always spend his augmented wealth in the furtherance of the aforesaid cause.
Let him on all occasions act without guile and never without sincerity, but, keeping himself well on his guard let him discover and ward off the evil designs of his enemy.
Let him ponder over the acquisition of wealth like a heron that pretends to be as if in meditative attitude just before catching fish. Having obtained the necessary material and augmented his power, let him put forth his strength like a lion to vanquish his foe; like a tiger let him stealthily creep towards his enemy and catch him. When a powerful enemy has come close by, let him run away form him like a hare and then over take him by strategem.
Let not his foe discover his weak points but the vulnerable points of his foe let him himself well discern. Let him hide his vulnerable points form his enemy just as a tortoise draws in his limbs and keeps them concealed from view.
Let such a victorious sovereign reduce all dacoits, robbers and the like to submission by conciliating them, by giving them presents or by turning them against each other. If he fails to restrain then by those means let him do so by infliction heavy punishment on them.
As a farmer separates the husk from the corn without injuring the latter, so should a king exterminate dacoits and burglars, and thus protect his people.
The king, who, through neglect of duty and lack of understanding oppresses his people, soon loses his kingdom and perishes with his family before his time. MANU 7: 99, 101, 104-107, 110-117, 120-124
Just as living beings lose their lives through the failure of their bodily strength, so do kings as well as their families lose their power, and even their lives by oppressing their subjects.
Therefore, in order to conduct the government properly let the king and the assembly so strive as to fully accomplish this object. The king who is always devoted to the welfare of his people obtains perpetual happiness.
Let him, therefore, have an administrative office in the midst of two, three, five and a hundred villages, wherein he should keep the required number of officials to carry on government business. Let him appoint an official at the head of one village, a second one over ten such villages, a third one over twenty, a fourth one over one hundred villages, and a fifth one over a thousand such villages.*
Let the Lord (i.e., the administrator) of one town daily apprise the Lord of Ten Towns privately of all crimes committed within his jurisdiction and the Lord of Ten submit his report to the Lord of Twenty. Let the Lord of Twenty notify all such matters to the Lord of one hundredevery day and the Lord of one Hundred, to the Lord of one Thousand, in other words, five Lords of Twenty, to a Lord of one Hundred, ten Lords of a Hundred, to a Lord of Ten thousand, and the Lord of Ten Thousand to an assembly which governs the affairs of a hundred thousand townships and all such Assemblies, to the Supreme International Assembly representing the whole world.
Over every ten thousand villages let him appoint two presiding officials, one of whom should preside over the Assembly, whilst the
* In other words, the present system of having a Surveyor (Patwari) in one village, a branch Police Station for every ten villages and Head Police Station over two branch stations, a Tahsil over the five such Police Stations, a district over ten such Tahsils, and so on, has been borrowed from our ancient system of Government as taught by Manu.
othershould tour all over the country and diligently inspect the work and conduct of all the magistrates and other officials.
For the purpose of holding the meetings of town councils let him erect a Town Hall in every big town. It should be lofty, capacious, and beautiful like the moon, wherein let the members of the town council, who should be men of vast learning and experience, deliberate over the affairs of their town, and make such laws as will promote the welfare of the people and advance the cause of education and enlighenment.
Let the inspecting governor have detectives under him - who should come from Kshatriya (protectors) as well as other Classes - and through them let him secretly know perfectly the conduct - good or bad - of the Government servants as well as that of the people. Let him punish those who do not faithfully discharge their duties and honor those who conduct is praiseworthy.
Let the king appoint such men guardians of his people as are virtuous, well-experienced, learned and of good lineage; under such learned officials let him also place men who are very wicked* as burglars and robbers, i.e., who live by seizing what belongs to others. It will help to keep those men form the pursuit of their wicked ways, as well as, to protect the people properly.
Let the king punish properly the magistrate who accepts bribe ether from the plaintiff or the defendant in a case and, therefore,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* On the principle that the best keeper is an old poacher. -Tr.
gives an just decision, confiscate all his possessions, and banish him to a place form which he can never return. Were that man to go unpunished, it would encourage other officials to commit similar wicked crimes, whilst the infliction of punishment would serve to check them. But let those officials be paid handsomely for their services - either by gifts of land or in lump sums of money, paid annually or monthly - enough to keep them in comfort and even to make them rich.
Let an old official in consideration of his services be granted a pension equal to half his pay. This pension must last only so long as he lives, not after. But let his children be properly honored or given Government appointments according to their qualifications. Let his wife and children* be given an allowance by the State enough for their subsistence which should be stopped if they turn wicked. Let the king constantly follow this policy."
Let the Assembly appoint officials of various kinds whose sole duty it should be to see that the State officials in all departments
of their duties faithfully according to the regulations. Leth them, who discharge their duties satisfactorily, be honored, whilst those who do not, be punished properly.
In order to disseminate the knowledge of the Veda which is truly called the imperishable treasure of the kings, let the king and the Assembly show due respect to students, who return from their seminaries after having studied the Vedaas and Shaatraas in the Order of Brahmacharya as well as their teachers. This helps forward the spread of education and the progress of a country.
If a king, devoted to the warfare of his people, be defied by an enemy of equal, greater, or lessstrength, let him remember the duty of Kshatriya and never shrink from going to battle. Let him fight with such skill as may ensure his victory.
Those kings who, with the object of defeating their enemies, fight fearlessly to their utmost and never turn away from the field of battle shall obtain happiness. They must never turn their backs upon the field of battle, but it is sometime necessary to hide away from the enemy in order to obtain victory over him. Let them employ all kinds of tactics to ensure their success in battle, but let them not perish foolishly like a tiger who, when his temper is rouse, exposes himself foolishly to the fire and is thereby killed.
In the field of battle let soldiers bear in mind the duty of men of honor, and, therefore, never strike a man who is standing near a field of battle - a non-combatant - nor one who is a eunuch, nor one who with folded palms begs for peace, nor one whose hair is dishevelled or scattered (over his eyes), nor one who is sitting at ease, nor one who says 'I am at your mercy', nor one who is asleep, nor one who is unconscious or in a fit, nor one who is disarmed, nor one who is naked, nor one who is a mere spectator, nor one who is only a camp-follower, nor one who is in agony of pain
from his wounds, nor one who is an invalid, nor one who is seriously wounded, nor one who is terrified, nor one who is running away (from the field of battle).
They should make them prisoners and provide them with food, drink and other necessaries of life. The wounded should be medically attended to. They should never be teased or made to suffer in any way. They should be employed in the kind of work that suits their station, etc. the king should especially see that no one strikes a woman, a child, and old man, a wounded man and one who is diseased or afflicted with sorrow.
Let him protect and bring up their children as if they were his own daughters or sisters. Nor should he ever look upon them with the eye of lust. After the country has settled down, let him send all those, from whom he does not fear a fresh revolt, away to their own homes; but let him keep in prison all others who, he fears, may possibly raise the standard of revolt.
The soldier, who cowardly turns his back on a field of battle and is slain (by an enemy), is thus rightly punished for his disloyalty to his master who shall take unto himself all the honor due to the deceased on account of his past good conduct which begets happiness in this world and in the next. The soldier, who is killed whilst running away from the field of battle, shall never obtain happiness. All his good work is nullified by this act of cowardice. He alone wins laurels who fights faithfully.
Let the king never violate this law that carriages, horses, elephants, tents, umbrellas, grain, silver and gold, cattle such as cows, women, cases of oil and butter, and various other articles are lawful
Prize of the soldier or of the officer who takes them in war. The captors should give the sixteenth part of their loot to the king, and so should the latter distribute among the whole army the sixteenth part of what was taken by them collectively." MANU 7: 80-82, 87, 89, 91-99.
Let the wife and children have the share of the man who is killed in war. The wife and children of that man should be well look after till the children are grown up when the king should offer them suitable state appointments.
Let no one, who is desirous of augmenting the prosperity of his State and of gaining fame, victory, and happiness, transgress this law.
"What the king and the Assembly have not let them strive hard to get, what they preserved let them augment, and let them spend the augmented wealth in the diffusion of the knowledge of the Vedaas, the spread of the principles of true religion, in helping scholars and preachers of the Vedic religion, and bringing up orphans. Having learnt the fourfold object of activity let him shun sloth and live an active life.
Let him obtain what he has not got b the observance of the law, and what he has acquired let him protect with diligent attention, what he has protected let him augment by investing profitably, and let him always spend his augmented wealth in the furtherance of the aforesaid cause.
Let him on all occasions act without guile and never without sincerity, but, keeping himself well on his guard let him discover and ward off the evil designs of his enemy.
Let him ponder over the acquisition of wealth like a heron that pretends to be as if in meditative attitude just before catching fish. Having obtained the necessary material and augmented his power, let him put forth his strength like a lion to vanquish his foe; like a tiger let him stealthily creep towards his enemy and catch him. When a powerful enemy has come close by, let him run away form him like a hare and then over take him by strategem.
Let not his foe discover his weak points but the vulnerable points of his foe let him himself well discern. Let him hide his vulnerable points form his enemy just as a tortoise draws in his limbs and keeps them concealed from view.
Let such a victorious sovereign reduce all dacoits, robbers and the like to submission by conciliating them, by giving them presents or by turning them against each other. If he fails to restrain then by those means let him do so by infliction heavy punishment on them.
As a farmer separates the husk from the corn without injuring the latter, so should a king exterminate dacoits and burglars, and thus protect his people.
The king, who, through neglect of duty and lack of understanding oppresses his people, soon loses his kingdom and perishes with his family before his time. MANU 7: 99, 101, 104-107, 110-117, 120-124
Just as living beings lose their lives through the failure of their bodily strength, so do kings as well as their families lose their power, and even their lives by oppressing their subjects.
Therefore, in order to conduct the government properly let the king and the assembly so strive as to fully accomplish this object. The king who is always devoted to the welfare of his people obtains perpetual happiness.
Let him, therefore, have an administrative office in the midst of two, three, five and a hundred villages, wherein he should keep the required number of officials to carry on government business. Let him appoint an official at the head of one village, a second one over ten such villages, a third one over twenty, a fourth one over one hundred villages, and a fifth one over a thousand such villages.*
Let the Lord (i.e., the administrator) of one town daily apprise the Lord of Ten Towns privately of all crimes committed within his jurisdiction and the Lord of Ten submit his report to the Lord of Twenty. Let the Lord of Twenty notify all such matters to the Lord of one hundredevery day and the Lord of one Hundred, to the Lord of one Thousand, in other words, five Lords of Twenty, to a Lord of one Hundred, ten Lords of a Hundred, to a Lord of Ten thousand, and the Lord of Ten Thousand to an assembly which governs the affairs of a hundred thousand townships and all such Assemblies, to the Supreme International Assembly representing the whole world.
Over every ten thousand villages let him appoint two presiding officials, one of whom should preside over the Assembly, whilst the
* In other words, the present system of having a Surveyor (Patwari) in one village, a branch Police Station for every ten villages and Head Police Station over two branch stations, a Tahsil over the five such Police Stations, a district over ten such Tahsils, and so on, has been borrowed from our ancient system of Government as taught by Manu.
othershould tour all over the country and diligently inspect the work and conduct of all the magistrates and other officials.
For the purpose of holding the meetings of town councils let him erect a Town Hall in every big town. It should be lofty, capacious, and beautiful like the moon, wherein let the members of the town council, who should be men of vast learning and experience, deliberate over the affairs of their town, and make such laws as will promote the welfare of the people and advance the cause of education and enlighenment.
Let the inspecting governor have detectives under him - who should come from Kshatriya (protectors) as well as other Classes - and through them let him secretly know perfectly the conduct - good or bad - of the Government servants as well as that of the people. Let him punish those who do not faithfully discharge their duties and honor those who conduct is praiseworthy.
Let the king appoint such men guardians of his people as are virtuous, well-experienced, learned and of good lineage; under such learned officials let him also place men who are very wicked* as burglars and robbers, i.e., who live by seizing what belongs to others. It will help to keep those men form the pursuit of their wicked ways, as well as, to protect the people properly.
Let the king punish properly the magistrate who accepts bribe ether from the plaintiff or the defendant in a case and, therefore,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* On the principle that the best keeper is an old poacher. -Tr.
gives an just decision, confiscate all his possessions, and banish him to a place form which he can never return. Were that man to go unpunished, it would encourage other officials to commit similar wicked crimes, whilst the infliction of punishment would serve to check them. But let those officials be paid handsomely for their services - either by gifts of land or in lump sums of money, paid annually or monthly - enough to keep them in comfort and even to make them rich.
Let an old official in consideration of his services be granted a pension equal to half his pay. This pension must last only so long as he lives, not after. But let his children be properly honored or given Government appointments according to their qualifications. Let his wife and children* be given an allowance by the State enough for their subsistence which should be stopped if they turn wicked. Let the king constantly follow this policy."
THE QUALIFICATIONS OF MINISTERS AND MEMBERS OF ASSEMBLIES
"Let a king appoint seven or eight good, righteous and clever ministers who are natives of the country, are thoroughly conversant with the Vedaas and the Shaatraas, are very brave and courageous, whose judgement seldom errs, who come from a good family and are well-tried men.
Even an act easy in itself becomes difficult to be accomplished by a man when single-handed. How much more so then, is the great work of the government of a country by a man single-handed. It is, therefore, a most dangerous thing to make one man a despotic ruler, or entrust a single man with sole management of the affairs of the State.
Let the Head of State, then, constantly consult with his clever with his clever and earned ministers on the affairs of the State, such as:- 1. Peace. 2. War 3. Defense - quietly protecting his own country against a foreign attack and waiting for an opportunity. 4. Offence - attacking an enemy when he finds himself strong enough to do. 5. Proper management of the internal affairs of the State, the exchequer and the Army. 6. Pacification of the newly
conquered countries by freeing them from all kinds of disturbance. Let him daily reflect on the six subjects.
Having ascertained the individual opinion of each of his ministers and other members of the Assembly, let him abide by the decision of the majority and do what is beneficial for him as well for others.
Let him likewise appoint other ministers who are men of great integrity, highly intellectual, of resolute minds, of great organizing power and of vast experience.
Let him appoint good, energetic, strong, and clever officers, as many as he requires, for the due transaction of the business of the State. Under them let brave, courageous strong men of great integrity and of noble lineage fill position involving great responsibility and risk, whilst let timid and faint-hearted men be employed for the administration of internal affairs.
Let him also appoint an Ambassador who comes from a good family, is very clever, perfectly honest, able to read the inmost thoughts of others and to foretell future, developments and events by observing the expression of faces and other significant signs and acts, and is well-versed in all the Shaastraas - branches of knowledge.
He alone is fit person to be appointed an Ambassador who is very much devoted to politics, loves his country with all his heart, is of irreproachable character, pure in heart, highly intelligent and endowed with an excellent memory, who can adapt himself to the manners and customs of different countries and different times, is good looking, fearless and a master of elocution." MANU 7: 54-57, 60-62, 64.
Even an act easy in itself becomes difficult to be accomplished by a man when single-handed. How much more so then, is the great work of the government of a country by a man single-handed. It is, therefore, a most dangerous thing to make one man a despotic ruler, or entrust a single man with sole management of the affairs of the State.
Let the Head of State, then, constantly consult with his clever with his clever and earned ministers on the affairs of the State, such as:- 1. Peace. 2. War 3. Defense - quietly protecting his own country against a foreign attack and waiting for an opportunity. 4. Offence - attacking an enemy when he finds himself strong enough to do. 5. Proper management of the internal affairs of the State, the exchequer and the Army. 6. Pacification of the newly
conquered countries by freeing them from all kinds of disturbance. Let him daily reflect on the six subjects.
Having ascertained the individual opinion of each of his ministers and other members of the Assembly, let him abide by the decision of the majority and do what is beneficial for him as well for others.
Let him likewise appoint other ministers who are men of great integrity, highly intellectual, of resolute minds, of great organizing power and of vast experience.
Let him appoint good, energetic, strong, and clever officers, as many as he requires, for the due transaction of the business of the State. Under them let brave, courageous strong men of great integrity and of noble lineage fill position involving great responsibility and risk, whilst let timid and faint-hearted men be employed for the administration of internal affairs.
Let him also appoint an Ambassador who comes from a good family, is very clever, perfectly honest, able to read the inmost thoughts of others and to foretell future, developments and events by observing the expression of faces and other significant signs and acts, and is well-versed in all the Shaastraas - branches of knowledge.
He alone is fit person to be appointed an Ambassador who is very much devoted to politics, loves his country with all his heart, is of irreproachable character, pure in heart, highly intelligent and endowed with an excellent memory, who can adapt himself to the manners and customs of different countries and different times, is good looking, fearless and a master of elocution." MANU 7: 54-57, 60-62, 64.
DUTIES OF MINISTERS AND OTHER HIGH OFFICIALS
The power to enforce the law should be vested in a minister who should see that the law is administered justly, treasury and other affairs of the State should be under the control of the king, peace and war under that of the Ambassador, and everything under the control of the
Assembly. It is the Ambassador alone who can make peace between enemies, or war between friends. He should so strive as to divide enemies united against his country.
Thus having learnt the designs of his enemy let a king - the President of the Assembly (as well as members of the Assembly, Ambassadors and others) - endeavour to guard himself against al danger from him.
In a thickly wooded country, where the soil is rich, let him build himself a town surrounded by a fortress of earth, or one protected by water, or one surrounded by a thick wood on all sides, or a fortress of armed men, or one surrounded by a mountain.
Let him build a wall round the city, because one brave, well-armed soldier placed inside it is a match for a hundred, and a hundred for thousands. It is therefore, extremely necessary to build a fort. Let the for t be well-supplied with arms and ammunition, with various kinds of grain and other food stuffs, with conveyances and beasts of burden, etc., with teachers and preachers, artisans, various kinds of machines, with grass and grain, etc., for animals, and with water, etc. In the centre of the town let him build for himself a Government house, well- protected from wind, etc., suited to all weathers, with
well provided parks and gardens round it, and well-supplied with water. It should be big for all the state functions.
Having done so far, that is, having completed his studies in the order of Brahmacharya and settled the affairs of the State, let him choose a consort of Kshatriya Class, born of a high family, endowed with beauty and other excellent qualities, dearest to his heart, blessed with charming manners, etc., and equal to him in knowledge, acquisitions, accomplishments and of like temperament. Let him take one wife and one only, and consider all other women as unapproachable, therefore let him not even look at another woman (with the eye of lust).
Let him retain a chaplain and a spiritual teacher to perform Homa and Yajnas suitable for different season sand other religious duties for him in the palace, and let him always devote himself to the business of the State. To devote himself day and night to the affairs of the State without allowing anything to go out of order is the highest duty of a king, aye, this is his worship, this is his communion." MANU 7: 65, 66,68, 70, 74-78.
Assembly. It is the Ambassador alone who can make peace between enemies, or war between friends. He should so strive as to divide enemies united against his country.
Thus having learnt the designs of his enemy let a king - the President of the Assembly (as well as members of the Assembly, Ambassadors and others) - endeavour to guard himself against al danger from him.
In a thickly wooded country, where the soil is rich, let him build himself a town surrounded by a fortress of earth, or one protected by water, or one surrounded by a thick wood on all sides, or a fortress of armed men, or one surrounded by a mountain.
Let him build a wall round the city, because one brave, well-armed soldier placed inside it is a match for a hundred, and a hundred for thousands. It is therefore, extremely necessary to build a fort. Let the for t be well-supplied with arms and ammunition, with various kinds of grain and other food stuffs, with conveyances and beasts of burden, etc., with teachers and preachers, artisans, various kinds of machines, with grass and grain, etc., for animals, and with water, etc. In the centre of the town let him build for himself a Government house, well- protected from wind, etc., suited to all weathers, with
well provided parks and gardens round it, and well-supplied with water. It should be big for all the state functions.
Having done so far, that is, having completed his studies in the order of Brahmacharya and settled the affairs of the State, let him choose a consort of Kshatriya Class, born of a high family, endowed with beauty and other excellent qualities, dearest to his heart, blessed with charming manners, etc., and equal to him in knowledge, acquisitions, accomplishments and of like temperament. Let him take one wife and one only, and consider all other women as unapproachable, therefore let him not even look at another woman (with the eye of lust).
Let him retain a chaplain and a spiritual teacher to perform Homa and Yajnas suitable for different season sand other religious duties for him in the palace, and let him always devote himself to the business of the State. To devote himself day and night to the affairs of the State without allowing anything to go out of order is the highest duty of a king, aye, this is his worship, this is his communion." MANU 7: 65, 66,68, 70, 74-78.
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