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IX, 258.
387
in kind, though he does not punish thieves, (will be) disturbed and he (will) lose heaven.
255. But if his kingdom be secure, protected by the strength of his arm, it will constantly flourish like a (well)-watered tree.
256. Let the king who sees (everything) through his spies, discover the two sorts of thieves who deprive others of their property, both those who (show themselves) openly and those who (lie) concealed.
DUTIES OF A KING.
257. Among them, the open rogues (are those) who subsist by (cheating in the sale of) various marketable commodities, but the concealed rogues are burglars, robbers in forests, and so forth.
258. Those who take bribes, cheats and rogues, gamblers, those who live by teaching (the performance of) auspicious ceremonies, sanctimonious hypocrites, and fortune-tellers,
258. Aupâdhikâh, 'cheats,' means according to Medh. ' persons of crooked behaviour who promise kindnesses, but secretly do evil to others,' or 'such as take money under false pretences,' or 'such as extort money by threats.' The last explanation is adopted by Kull. and Râgh., while Nâr. and Nand. interpret the term to mean 'persons who cheat by using false weights and measures.' Vankakâh, 'rogues,' i. e. 'men who promise to transact business for others, and do not keep their word' (Medh.), or 'alchemists who pretend to change base metals into precious metals' (rasam vidyam [rasavidyayâ] tâmrâdi ragatâdirûpena darsayitvâ suvarnâdikam grihnanti, Râgh., Kull.), or 'men who take money on false pretences' (Nâr.). Mangalâdesavrittâh, 'those who live by teaching the performance of, or by performing for others, auspicious ceremonies' (Medh., Kull., Râgh.), means according to Nâr. 'men who live by reciting auspicious hymns' (mangalastutipâtho vrittam karitam yeshâm), and Medh. proposes a similar alternative explanation. Medh. reads bhadraprekshanikaih saha, and explains the compound by eulogists' (prâsamsikapurushalakshanâ). Nâr. explains ikshanikâh, 'fortune-tellers,' by 'actors and jugglers.'
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