Page:Asoka - the Buddhist Emperor of India.djvu/204

202 confidently and fearlessly may perform their duties. bestow welfare and happiness upon the people of the country, and confer favours upon them.

They will ascertain the causes of happiness or unhappiness, and through the subordinate officials of the Law of Piety will exhort the people of the country so that they may gain both this world and the next.

My Governors, too, eager to serve me; my Agents, also, acknowledging my will, shall serve me, and they, too, on occasion, will give exhortations so that the Governors will be eager to win me.

For, just as a man, having made over his child to a skilful nurse, feels conﬁdent and says to himself, "The skilful nurse is eager to care for the happiness of my child," even so my Governors have been created for the welfare and happiness of the country, with intent that fearlessly, conﬁdently, and quietly they may perform their duties. For that reason I have granted to my Governors independence in the award of honours and penalties.

Forasmuch as it is desirable that there should be uniformity in judicial procedure and uniformity in penalties, from this time forward my rule is this:—

"To condemned men lying in prison under sentence of death a respite of three days is granted by me."

[During that interval] the relatives in some cases will arrange for a revision in order to save their lives, or in order to obtain a revision will give alms with a view to the next world, or will observe fasting.

For my desire is that even when their time is irrevocably ﬁxed they [the, condemned] may gain the next world, while among the people various pious practices may increase, including self-control and liberality.'

Comment

The meaning of this rather difficult edict, which had been discussed and iuisunderstood for many years, has now been