Bhishma said By taking riches from his own kingdom as also from the kingdoms of his enemies, the king should, replenish his treasury. Religious merit springs from the treasury, O son of Kunti, and it is through the treasury that the roots of his kingdom extend.

For these reasons the treasury must be replenished; and when filled, it should be carefully kept, and even sought to be increased. This is the eternal practice.

The treasury cannot be replenished by (acting with) purity and fairness, nor by (acting with) ruthless cruelty. It should be filled by following a middle course.

How can a weak king have a treasury? How can a king who has no treasury have strength? How can a weak man maintain a kingdom? How, again, can one, who has no kingdom of his own, acquire prosperity?

Adversity is like death to a person of high rank. Therefore, the king should always multiply his treasury, and army, and allies and friends.

All men disregard a king, who has an empty treasury. Without being pleased with the little that such a king can give, his servants never show any zeal in his business.

By riches, the king acquires great honours. Indeed, riches conceal his very sins, as a dress conceals such parts of a female form as should not be exposed to the public gaze.

The former enemies of the king become stricken with grief on seeing his newly acquired riches. Like dogs they once more serve him, and though they only seek an opportunity to kill him, he treats them as if nothing has taken place.

How, O Bharata, can such a king enjoy happiness? The king should always try for acquiring greatness.

He should never bend low in humility. Exertion is manliness. He should rather break when an unfavourable opportunity comes than bend low before any one. He should rather go to the forest and live there with wild animals.

But he should not, however, live in the midst of ministers and officers who have like robbers transgressed all restraints. Even the wild robbers may supply a large number of soldiers for the performance of the fiercest of deeds. O Bharata.

If the king disregards all healthy restraints, all people are filled with terror. They very robbers who know not what mercy is, fear such a king.

Therefore, the king, should always set down rules and restraints for pleasing his subjects. People always welcome rules even regarding insignificant matters.

There are men who hold that this world is nothing and the future also is a myth. He, who is such an undeliever, though his heart is moved by secret fears, should never be trusted.

If the wild robbers, while observing other virtues, commit robberies, in respect of properties those deeds may be considered as innocent. The lives of thousands of creatures are protected when robbers follow such restraints.

Killing a retreating enemy, ravishment of wives, ingratitude, plundering the property of a Brahmana, depriving a person of his entire property, violation of maidens, continued occupation of villages and towns as their lawful lords, and adultery with other people's wives.-these are known as sinful acts among even robbers, and robbers should always stand aloof from them.

It is again certain that those kings, who try to create confidence in robbers, succeed, after watching all their ins and outs, in rooting them out.

Therefore, in dealing with robbers, it is necessary that they should not be destroyed outright. They should be gradually brought under the king's sway. The king should never treat them cruelly, thinking that he is more powerful than they.

Those kings, who do not root them out outright have no fear of their ruin, They, however, that do root them out, stand always in dread of them.'