Pre-Buddhist India: A Political, Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey of Ancient India Based Mainly on the Jataka Stories c4.t1.28

c4.t1.28

“First of all, should a king put away
All falsehood and anger and scorn;
Let him do what a king has to do,
Or else to his vow be forsworn....
When a prince in his rule groweth slack,
Untrue to his name and his fame,
Should his wealth (bhoga) all at once disappear,
Of that prince it is counted as shame....
In a man energetic and bold (utthānaviriye) we delight⁶,
If from jealousy free....
To all, O great king, be a friend,
So that all may thy safety insure....
For courage as virtue he holds
And in it goodness true espies.
Be zealous to do what is right,
Nor, however reviled, yield to sin,
Be earnest in efforts for good,
No sluggard can bliss ever win......”
And again—
“The matter, my friend, is set forth
In a couple of maxims (padakāni) quite plain—
To keep whatever one has (laddhassa anurakkhana)