O sinless one, are thy inclinations and practices such as I have described them, and as always enhance the duration of life and spread one’s renown and as always help the cause of religion, pleasure, and profit? He who conducteth himself according to this way, never findeth his kingdom distressed or afflicted; and that monarch, subjugating the whole earth, enjoyeth a high degree of felicity. O monarch, I hope, no well-behaved, pure-souled, and respected person is ever ruined and his life taken, on a false charge or theft, by thy ministers ignorant of Sastras and acting from greed? And, O bull among men, I hope thy ministers never from covetousness set free a real thief, knowing him to be such and having apprehended him with the booty about him? O Bharata, I hope, thy ministers are never won over by bribes, nor do they wrongly decide the disputes that arise between the rich and the poor. Dost thou keep thyself free from the fourteen vices of kings, viz., atheism, untruthfulness, anger, incautiousness, procrastination, non-visit to the wise, idleness, restlessness of mind, taking counsels with only one man, consultation with persons unacquainted with the science of profit, abandonment of a settled plan, divulgence of counsels, non-accomplishment of beneficial projects, and undertaking everything without reflection? By these, O king, even monarchs firmly seated on their thrones are ruined. Hath thy study of the Vedas, thy wealth and knowledge of the Sastras and marriage been fruitful?Mbh 2.5.3i · Mahabharata · SABHA PARVA
Mbh 2.5.3i
Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Themes in this passage
HopeGreedLeadershipWealthWisdomAngerMarriageNature
Hope in other traditions
The same theme, as Christianity, Islam and Hellenism address it.
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?Romans 8:24 · Bible · Romans
Say: Can ye await for us aught save one of two good things (death or victory in Allah's way)? while we await for you that Allah will afflict you with a doom from Him or at our hands. Await then! Lo! We are awaiting with you.Quran 9:52 · Quran · Repentance
Fired by his words, the troops dismiss their fears, They join, they thicken, they protend their spears; Full on the Greeks they drive in firm array, And each from Ajax hopes the glorious prey: Vain hope! what numbers shall the field o’erspread, What victims perish round the mighty dead!Iliad 17.24 · Iliad · 17
Another said, “I hope he may be no more successful in other things than he is likely to be in stringing this bow.”Odyssey 21.39 · Odyssey · 21
See what all six traditions say about hope →
Search every tradition at once
Ask a question in your own words and see how six traditions answer it.