Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

राज्यं प्रणिधिमूलं हि मन्त्रसारं प्रचक्षते । स्वामिन त्वनुवर्तन्ते वृत्त्यर्थमिह मन्त्रिण:

Transliteration

rājyaṁ praṇidhimūlaṁ hi mantrasāraṁ pracakṣate | svāmin tv anuvartante vṛttyartham iha mantriṇaḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma sprach: „Man sagt, das Wesen des Rates in der Königsherrschaft beruhe auf wachsamer Aufsicht und sorgfältiger Überwachung. Denn hier folgen die Minister ihrem Herrn vor allem um des Lebensunterhalts willen.“

Word by Word

राज्यम्kingdom, sovereignty

प्रणिधि-मूलम्having spies as its root/foundation

हिindeed, for

मन्त्र-सारम्having counsel as its essence

प्रचक्षतेthey declare, they call

स्वामिन्O master, O lord

तुbut, however

अनुवर्तन्तेthey follow, they comply with

वृत्ति-अर्थम्for the sake of livelihood/maintenance

इहhere (in this world/context)

मन्त्रिणःministers, counsellors

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

the king (svāmin)

ministers (mantriṇaḥ)

kingship/state (rājya)

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?

Effective governance depends on vigilant oversight as the foundation of sound counsel, because ministers may align with the ruler from practical self-interest (livelihood) rather than pure loyalty; therefore a king must be discerning and monitor administration carefully.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma advises the king on the realities of court politics: counsel (mantra) is only as reliable as the ruler’s supervision, since ministers often serve primarily to sustain their position and income.