artha and kâma in his people, nor will he be devoid of that threefold prosperity himself.
42. 'For this reason, you ought to purify your mind of rashness, and to be only intent on such actions as tend to good repute. In fact, transgressions of a decent behaviour are highly notorious, if they are committed by persons of a high rank in whom they were not seen before.
43. In a penance-forest protected by your mighty arm, you would not suffer anybody else, in truth, to do what is blamed by the pious and destructive to good behaviour. How is it that you should be decided to act in this way yourself, O king ?
44. If your harem came perchance to my hermitage together with their male attendants, what fault of mine may be found there that you should allow yourself to be thus altered by wrath ?
45. Suppose, however, there is here some fault of mine, forbearance would become you even then, my lord. Forbearance, indeed, is the chief ornament of a powerful one; for it betrays his cleverness in keeping (the treasury of) his virtues.
46. 'Kings cannot so much be adorned either by their dark-blue ear-rings with their reverberation of dancing shine on the cheeks, or by the several brilliant jewels of their head-ornament, as they are adorned by forbearance. Thus considering, pray, do not disregard that virtue.
47. 'Set aside irascibility which is never fit to be relied upon, but maintain forbearance (as carefully) as your dominions[1]. In truth, the lovely behaviour of princes showing their esteem to ascetics, is full of bliss.'
Notwithstanding this admonition by that excellent Muni, the king, troubled by the crookedness of his mind, persisted in his false suspicion. So he addressed him again:
48. If you are not a mock-ascetic, but really
- ↑ Literally: as if it were the earth. The comparison constitutes a pun in the original, for kshamâ may convey the meaning of earth' while it also signifies 'forbearance.'
