Shloka 11

Mantri-Parīkṣā — Testing Ministers, Securing Counsel, and Ethical Criteria for Advisers (अध्याय ८४)

Devanagari script

अनार्या ये न जानन्ति समयं मन्दचेतस: । तेभ्य: परिजुगुप्सेथा ये चापि समयच्युता:,जो अनार्य और मन्दबुद्धि हैं, जिन्हें की हुई प्रतिज्ञाके पालनका ध्यान नहीं रहता तथा जो कई बार अपनी प्रतिज्ञासे गिर चुके हैं, उनसे अपनेको सुरक्षित रखनेके लिये तुम्हें सदा सावधान रहना चाहिये

Transliteration

anāryā ye na jānanti samayaṃ mandacetasaḥ | tebhyaḥ parijugupsethā ye cāpi samayacyutāḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma sprach: „Die Unedlen und Geistesschwachen verstehen weder den rechten Zeitpunkt noch die bindende Kraft einer Abmachung oder eines Gelübdes; und jene, die schon von ihrem gegebenen Wort abgefallen sind—gegen solche Menschen sollst du wachsam bleiben und dich schützen.“

Word by Word

अनार्याःnon-noble, ignoble (persons)

येwho

नnot

जानन्तिknow, understand

समयम्agreement; proper time; convention

मन्दचेतसःdull-witted, of weak understanding

तेभ्यःfrom them

परिजुगुप्सेथाःyou should shun/avoid; keep yourself guarded

येwho

चand

अपिalso, even

समयच्युताःfallen from the agreement/pledge; deviated from convention

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A person’s trustworthiness is measured by fidelity to samaya (pledge/agreement). Those who repeatedly break promises are ethically ‘anārya’ and should be treated with caution, since their unreliability can cause harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction during the Shanti Parva, he offers practical moral counsel: identify people who do not respect commitments and protect yourself from the risks created by their habitual breach of vows.