bahūnāṁ samupetānām ekasmin nirghṛṇātmanām
bāle putre praharatāṁ kathaṁ na patitā bhujāḥ.
'How could these cruel men bear to raise their arms to smite one young boy, alone against such a concourse?' The necessity of toil to achieve any end is well brought out in a verse in the Pratijñāyaugandharāyaṇa,[1] which has a curious parallel in Açvaghoṣa:[2]
kāṣṭhād agnir jāyate mathyamānād: bhūmis toyaṁ khanyamānā dadāti
sotsahānāṁ nāsty asādhyaṁ narāṇām: mārgārabdhāḥ sarvayatnāḥ phalanti.
'Fire ariseth from the rubbing of timber; the earth when dug giveth water; nothing is there that men may not obtain by effort; every exertion duly undertaken doth bear fruit.' A profound truth, the rareness of gratitude, is emphasized in the Svapnavāsavadattā:[3]
guṇānām vā viçālānāṁ satkārāṇāṁ ca nityaçaḥ
kartāraḥ sulabhā loke vijñātāras tu durlabhāḥ.
'There are many to show conspicuous virtue and to do constant deeds of kindness, but few are there who are grateful for such actions. The heavy burden of the duties of a king is effectively described in the Avimāraka:[4]
dharmaḥ prāg eva cintyaḥ sacivamatigatiḥ prekṣitavyā svabuddhyā
pracchādyau rāgaroṣau mṛduparuṣaguṇau kālayogena kāryau
jñeyaṁ lokānuvṛttam paracaranayanair maṇḍalam prekṣitavyam
rakṣyo yatnād ihātmā raṇaçirasi punas so 'pi nāvekṣitavyaḥ.
'First there must be consideration of the injunctions of the law, then the train of the minister's thought must be followed; desire and anger must be concealed; mercy and harshness must be applied as expediency demands; the temper of the people must be ascertained through the aid of spies as well as the demeanour of neighbouring kings; one's life must be guarded with every care, but in the forefront of battle heed for it must be laid aside.' The position of a minister is no enviable one:[5]
