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 illiberality? 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 when thy homa
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