Shloka 26
मृदु-तीक्ष्ण-नीति तथा दुष्टलक्षण-विज्ञानम्
Measured Policy and the Recognition of Malicious Disposition
Devanagari script
यदैवैकेन शक्येत गुह्ां कर्तु तदाचरेत् यच्छन्ति सचिवा गुह्मां मिथो विश्रावयन्त्यपि
Translation
Bhishma said: “Whatever secret business a king can accomplish alone, he should surely do by himself; for ministers sometimes disclose confidential matters—or, if not to outsiders, they at least repeat them among themselves.”
Word by Word
यदाwhen
यदा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयदा
एवindeed/only
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
एकेनby one (person) / alone
एकेन:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootएक
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
शक्येतcould be done / would be possible
शक्येत:
TypeVerb
Rootशक्
FormVidhi-lin (optative), Atmanepada, 3rd, Singular, Karmani (passive sense)
गुह्यंsecret (thing/matter)
गुह्यं:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootगुह्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
कर्तुम्to do
कर्तुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
FormTumun (infinitive)
तदाthen
तदा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा
आचरेत्should do/undertake
आचरेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootआचर्
FormVidhi-lin (optative), Parasmaipada, 3rd, Singular
यत्which/that (secret matter)
यत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
छन्तिthey conceal/cover
छन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootछद्
FormLat (present), Parasmaipada, 3rd, Plural
सचिवाःministers/counsellors
सचिवाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसचिव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
गुह्यंsecret (matter)
गुह्यं:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootगुह्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
मिथःmutually/to one another
मिथः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootमिथः
विश्रावयन्तिthey make (it) heard / divulge
विश्रावयन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootश्रु (causative: श्रावय/विश्रावय)
FormLat (present), Parasmaipada, 3rd, Plural, Causative (णिच्) with prefix वि-
अपिeven/also/sometimes
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes