Shloka 43

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

Devanagari script

सत्यवाक्‌ शीलसम्पन्नो गम्भीर: सत्रपो मृदु: । पितृपैतामहो यः स्यात्‌ स मन्त्र श्रोतुमहति,जो सत्यवादी, शीलवान, गम्भीर, लज्जाशील, कोमल स्वभाववाला तथा बाप-दादोंके समयसे ही राजाकी सेवा करता आया है, वह भी गुप्त मन्त्रणा सुननेका अधिकारी है

Transliteration

satyavāk śīlasampanno gambhīraḥ satrapo mṛduḥ | pitṛpaitāmaho yaḥ syāt sa mantraṃ śrotum arhati ||

Translation

Bhishma sprach: Wer wahrhaftig redet, von guter Lebensführung ist, ernst und standhaft, schamhaft und von sanftem Wesen—und wer dem König seit den Zeiten von Vater und Großvater erblich dient—der ist geeignet, vertraulichen Rat zu hören.

Word by Word

सत्यवाक्truth-speaking

शीलसम्पन्नःendowed with good conduct

गम्भीरःgrave, deep (in character)

सत्रपःmodest, possessing shame (sense of propriety)

मृदुःgentle, soft-natured

पितृपैतामहःconnected with father and grandfather (ancestral, from forefathers’ time)

यःwho

स्यात्may be / should be

सःhe

मन्त्रंsecret counsel, confidential plan

श्रोतुम्to hear

अर्हतिis worthy / deserves

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

king (rājā, implied)

hereditary royal servant/counsellor (implied)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Confidential political counsel should be entrusted only to a person of proven virtue—truthful speech, good character, gravity, modesty, and gentleness—whose loyalty is established through long, hereditary service; moral reliability is presented as the foundation of political trust.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma and governance in the Shanti Parva, he lists the qualities of a trustworthy attendant/counsellor who may be admitted to secret deliberations, emphasizing ethical character and tested loyalty.