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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 4: Chapter 21: Verses 17-30
King Prthu's teaching to his subjects
he hair on his head was fine, curly, dark and sleek and his throat was marked by three spiral lines like those of a conch-shell. He had on his person a pair of costly and excellent pieces of linen, one wrapped about his loins and the other slung across his right side and left shoulder. Being under a vow of abstinence he had laid aside his jewels so that the natural beauty of all his limbs was (now) manifest. Covering himself with the skin of a black buck and wearing (a ring of) Kusa grass (used on ceremonial occasions) in his hands, he looked (exception-ally) graceful and had (just) finished his (religious) duties appropriate to the hour. The king looked all round with eyes which were full of love and soothed one's agony and, thrilling the whole assembly with delight-as it were, made the following speech, which was charming to the ear, full of elegant (figurative) expression, bland, polished, deep in significance and uninterrupted by emotion. (As he spoke,) it seemed as if he was recounting at that time his own experience for the benefit of all (who had assembled there). The king said : Worthies present here, may you all be blessed. Pious souls gathered here, pray listen ! Those who are eager to know what Dharma (righteousness) is ought to submit their own conception (about it) before the wise. As a ruler on this earth I have been assigned the role of punishing the evil-doers, protecting the people (against calamities); affording them means of subsistence and keeping them severally within their bounds (the spheres allotted to them by the Sastras). By discharging these functions I as such hope to attain those realms which yield what one desires and which-as the expounders of the Vedas declare-are earned by him who wins the pleasure of God (who has the record of all our past doings before His very eyes). A sovereign who levies taxes but fails to teach the people their sacred duties (merely) reaps their sin and forfeits his fortune. Free from a carping spirit and with your mind fixed on Lord Visnu (who is above sense-perception), therefore, my (beloved) subjects, do your own duty for the good in the other world of your ruler (myself); (for) therein lies your own interest and thereby you will have done a (great) favour to me. Kindly lend your hearty support to this (prayer of mine), O pure-hearted manes, gods and sages for the fruit which accrues hereafter to the doer, the instructor and the countenancer is (just) the same. In the opinion of some (believing souls); O most worthy ones; there is a God (who dispenses the fruit of all actions); for both here and hereafter can be seen in some rare cases places of enjoyment as well as bodies which are endowed with (uncommon) brilliance. In the opinion of Swayambhuva Manu (the first ruler of the earth), Uttanapada (his younger son), king Dhruva (Uttanapada's illustrious son), the royal sage Priyavrata ( Swayambhuva's elder son), my grandfather, Anga, nay, of Brahma (the birthless creator) and Lord Siva (the Progenitor of the universe), as well as of (the demon kings) Prahrada and Bali (Praharada's grandson) and others like those enumerated above, one has to do with (it is necessary to postulate the existence of) Bhagavan Narayana (the Wielder of a mace), the sole independent means of securing the three objects of human pursuit (viz., religious merit, earthly possessions and sense-gratification) as well as heavenly bliss and final beatitude, the only dissenters being (my father) Vena (the grandson of Death) and ( a few) others, who were deluded in the matter of righteousness and (therefore) deserve to be pitied.
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