Theory of Government in Ancient India (Post-Vedic) c6.167.5

c6.167.5

A king should always honour the enemy of his enemies. Needless to say, in all these matters of high politics, espionage had an all-important role to play. Spies are set on every one. They are to be drawn from all classes of people. In their ranks, ascetics and atheists rubbed shoulders together. In another section of the Mahâbhârata, Arjuna remarks that without slaughtering men, no one can achieve fame, wealth or dominion. Every one humbled himself before the prowess of gods like Rudra, Skanda, Śakra, Agni, Varuṇa, Kâla who were slaughterers. They were worshipped by all. But no one cared to bend before gentle gods like Brahman, Dhâtri, or Puṣan. Such is the law of nature. Animals live upon animals, the stronger upon the weak. Mice are devoured by the mongoose; the mongoose by the cat; the cat by the dog; the dog by the spotted leopard, and all in their turn by the great Destroyer. The universe, mobile and immobile alike, is food for living creatures. That is what the gods have ordained. No man of knowledge is stupefied at it. There is no higher duty than the support of one's life. In the Vana-parva, Draupadī preaches the cult of energy and decision. Bhīmasena counsels Yudhiṣṭhira to disregard promises, though the latter defends the sanctity of the plighted words. In the Ādi-parva Kaṇika counsels Machiavellianism to Dhritarâṣṭra as a policy to be followed whenever it might reasonably be expected to achieve the object in view.