Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

दौष्कुलेयाश्न लुब्धाश्न नृशंसा निरपत्रपा: । ते त्वां तात निषेवेयुर्यावदार्द्रकपाणय:,तात! जो निन्दित कुलमें उत्पन्न, लोभी, क्रूर और निर्लज्ज हैं, वे तभीतक तुम्हारी सेवा करेंगे, जबतक उनके हाथ गीले रहेंगे

Transliteration

dauṣkuleyāś ca lubdhāś ca nṛśaṃsā nirapatrapāḥ | te tvāṃ tāta niṣeveyur yāvad ārdrakapāṇayaḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma sprach: „Die aus entehrter Herkunft Geborenen, von Natur gierig, grausam und schamlos, werden dir, mein Kind, nur dienen, solange ihre Hände ‚nass‘ bleiben — solange sie weiterhin Gaben und Vorteile empfangen. Ihre Treue gründet nicht in Pflicht, sondern im Gewinn.“

Word by Word

दौष्कुलेयाःbase-born; of a vile family

चand

लुब्धाःgreedy

चand

नृशंसाःcruel; ruthless

निरपत्रपाःshameless; without modesty

तेthey

त्वाम्you

तातdear one; son (vocative)

निषेवेयुःwould serve; would attend upon

यावत्as long as; until

आर्द्रकपाणयःthose whose hands are wet (i.e., receiving gains/bribes)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

tāta (addressed person, unnamed in the verse)

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?

Bhishma warns that people who are greedy and shameless offer service only for material gain; their loyalty lasts only while benefits flow. A ruler should discern character and not mistake self-interest for devotion to duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on governance and conduct, Bhishma addresses the listener (tāta) and cautions him about unreliable attendants—those who remain close only while they are being rewarded.