From ministers, who have once been chastised, from women in particular, from mountains and inaccessible quarrels, from elephants and horses and reptiles, the king should always carefully guard himself. That king, who, leaving his chief ministers, makes favourites of low persons, soon falls into distress and never succeeds in attaining his objects.
निगृहीतादमात्याच्च स्त्रीभ्यश्चैव विशेषतः। पर्वताद् विषमाद् दुर्गाद्धस्तिनोऽश्वात् सरीसृपात्। एतेभ्यो नित्ययुक्तः सन् रक्षेदात्मानमेव तु॥ मुख्यानमात्यान् यो हित्वा निहीनान् कुरुते प्रियान्। स वै व्यसनमासाद्य गाधमार्तो न विन्दति॥