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7. YASASTILAKA AS AN ANTHOLOGY OF SANSKRIT VERSE
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enemies is an important step: a king neglecting this is like a man who pulls at bamboos interlaced in tall clumps. A king without power is like a lame man, unable to use his intelligence; and a king without intelligence is like a blind man, unable to use his power:
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अहं महानयं स्वल्पश्चिन्तेयं नृप मुच्यताम् । सिंहशावात् करीन्द्राणां मृत्युरत्र निदर्शनम् ॥ 385. अभित्त्वा शत्रुसंघातं यः पराक्रमते नृपः । स तुङ्गस्तम्बसंलग्नवीरणाकर्षकायते ॥ 3. 94. शक्तिहीने मतिः कैव का शक्तिर्मतिवर्जिते । नृपस्य न्याय्यदृष्टान्तः पङ्गुरन्धश्च कथ्यताम् ॥ 3. 95. Bravery and loyalty count more in an army than numbers. A brave, well-equipped and efficient army, though small, contributes to success, provided it is loyal; a mere conglomeration of heads serves no useful purpose. Loyalty is an important factor, and a king who causes disaffection among his loyal subjects is bound to come to grief like a man who awakens a sleeping cobra :
क्षत्रसारं भूतं शूरमस्त्रज्ञमनुरागि चेत् । अपि स्वल्पं श्रियै सैन्यं वृथेयं मुण्डमण्डली ॥ 3. 87. स्वानुवर्तिषु लोकेषु यस्तु क्षोभाय चेष्टते । श्रेयांसि न चिरं तस्य सुप्तव्यालप्रबोधिवत् ॥ 3. 103.
In spite of the caution recommended by the speaker himself in matters affecting war, he ends by asking the king to send an expeditionary force against those whom a false sense of power has made overbearing and proud.
The chief minister Nitibṛhaspati approves the foregoing speech, and, for his part, gives some advice to the king. He asks the king to look after the kingdom as a gardener does a garden, and reiterates the warning not to despise enemies, however small.
e) A CHALLENGE TO OTHER KINGS
We have next a specimen of a challenge to various kings and peoples, which the royal clerk, ordered by the king, reads out to the envoy, entrusted with the message:
गर्व बर्बर मुञ्च मा चरत रे पञ्चाकाश्चापलं केलिं केरल संहर प्रविश रे मद्रेश देशान्तरम् । मिथ्यैश्वर्यबलावलेपरभसभ्रश्यद्विवेकात्मनामित्थं वष्टिरिटिल्लितं न सहते देवः स देवाश्रयः ॥
शौण्डीर्यशालिनि जगत्त्रयलब्धवर्णे देवे न यः प्रणतिभावमुपैति भूपः ।
तस्याहवेषु वयसां शिरसि प्रबन्धो यद्वाश्रमेषु परलोकधिया जटानाम् ॥
"Thou Barbara, renounce thy pride. Ye men of Pañcala, be not wanton. Chief of Kerala, wind up thy amusements. King of Madra, take refuge in another land. The great king (Yasodhara), who believes in his destiny, will not tolerate your misdemeanour. You have forthwith lost all power of discernment through a false pride of wealth and power. The king who does not submit to His Majesty, magnanimous and renowned in all the three worlds, shall have birds of prey pouncing on his head fallen on the battlefield,
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