25–26.
A king, a minister who attends upon him, a country inhabited by good people, a fortress difficult to be taken, punishment in keeping with crime, a granary always filled with corn, a friend devoted to the king in danger—these are seven elements spoken of in connection with royalty by wise men versed in the Nîti.
27.
These are spoken of as seven elements in connection with a country: a king, a minister, a kingdom, a fortress, a granary, an army, and an ally.[1]
28.
Among these, even if one element is deficient, the king's good state declines; another, not wishing to remain on terms of inequality with him, strives hard to gain an ascendancy.
29.
A king first of all wishes for himself association with the virtuous; he next devotes himself to acquire various qualifications, and then looks after his remaining duty.
30.
He who[2] is exalted among men, is wise, intelligent, avoids low conversation, is shrewd, patient, and upright, he is law-abiding and not envious of another's prosperity.
31.
He acts well, is provided with friends and allies[3] full of ability, knows how to bring about the ruin of other kings, is industrious, possessed of fortitude, and is cognisant of loss and gain.
