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MARCH, 1881.]
MISCELLANEA.
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Thy spouse with care and kindness treat,
Nor ever need their wealth to hide, With honied accents always greet.
But, undisturbed, in peace abide. But whilst thou soothest women, ne'er
The wise declare this self the root Permit them o'er thee rule to bear.
From which all human actions shoot. "Let a man be free from malice, and guard his
This self a prince should, therefore, guard, wife; let him speak kindly and pleasantly: and Lest haply it shonld e'er be marred use sweet words to women, but never become
By unobserved and veiled assaults subject to them."
Of passion, breeding active faults; EULOGY OP WOMEN.
Himself should ever strictly askMahabharata, v. 1408.
Do I fulfil my kingly task?
• Do vices in my nature lurk, All honour to those women bright, Whose presenre fills the house with light,
Whose power obstracts my noble work! Who, noble, virtuous, loving, pure,
Do all the men my acts who know The fortunes of their homes assure.
. Of these their admiration show ? Their lords should love and guard such wives
And does my virtue's fome extend The joy and solace of their lives.
O'er all my realm, from end to end?' "Those pure and virtuous women who are the I add a prose version of the lines :lights of the house, who are called the goddesses Mahábh. xii. 2079f. "He is the best of kings in of fortune, should be honoured and specially
whose dominions men can move about like sons guarded."
in their fathers' houses, and whose subjects, dwellPassages to the same effect occur elsewhere, of
ing in his country, do not conceal their wealth which I give prose versions :
and understand what is wise and unwise action." Manu, v. 26. “In men's houses there is no xii. 3346 ff. "Protecting strangers from those difference whatever between women who are blest within his palace, and these again from strangers, with progeny, worthy of honour, and the lights of strangers from strangers, and your own from your their homes-between such women--and goddesses own, preserve men continually. 3347. The king of fortune" (Sriyah).
who in every respect guards himself, can be the Mahabharata, xiii., 2498. “Those goddesses of guardian of the earth. This entire world has its fortune called women should be kindly treated by root in [is dependent upon) the soul or self. So him who seeks to prosper. A woman who is the wise declare. 3348. Let the king constantly cherished and controlled is a goddess of fortune." || consider what flaw is there in me, what attachment
From the occurrence of the word "controlled” ( anushangah P) What is there that I have not in the last passage, it would seem to result that the overcome (avinipátitam)? From what quarter can word "guard," also in the first passage, is to be blame attach to me? 3349. He should cause enquiry understood as intimating that women, how highly to be made all over the earth by secret approved soever esteemed, were regarded by the writer as emissaries into this ? Do men applaud or not my requiring supervision on the part of their hus- action of the past day P 3350. If they know it, do bands.
they applaud it or not? Shall my renown shine in A GOOD KING, ACCORDING TO THE MAHABHARATA.
all parts of the country?'” [In lines xii. 3346ff, the writer gives us a lofty ANCIENT INDIAN IDEAS ABOUT WAR. idea of what & king ought to be. Unless the (1.) CONQUERORS SHOULD KINDLY TREAT THE desire of his subjects' approbation, and the love
VANQUISHED. of renown, recommended to him in vv. 3349f, be
Mahabharata xii. 3487 ff. considered to lower the ideal conception of disin
He who a foe has seized in fightterested virtue, he seeks to place a philosopher, a
A foe whose deeds were fair and rightTitus who mourns that he had lost a day, or a That foe with due respect should greet, Marcus Aurelias, on the throne.]
And ne'er through hatred harshly treat. Mahabharata xii. 3346ff; 2079f.
Who acts not thus is hard in heart, That king rules well whose arm defends,
And fails to play a Kshatriya's part. His friends from aliens, these from friends,
He who in war has gained success Whose sway o'er every class extends ;
Should seek to soothe his foe's distress; O'er all whose realm his subjects roam,
Should on him kindly, blandly smile, Like sons within a father's home,
And thus his downfall's pain beguile. Securely, whether weak or strong,
When thou hast caused another woe, And insult never dread, nor wrong,
Thou should'st him more thy kindness show,
