Shloka 18

Bhṛtya-niyoga: Role-appropriate appointment of servants and protection of the royal treasury (भृत्यनियोगः कोशरक्षणं च)

Devanagari script

मेधावी धारणायुक्तो यथान्यायोपपादक: । दान्त: सदा प्रियाभाषी क्षमावांक्ष विपर्यये,मेधावी, धारणाशक्तिसे सम्पन्न, यथोचित कार्य करनेवाला, इन्ट्रियसंयमी, प्रिय वचन बोलनेवाला, तथा शत्रुको भी क्षमा प्रदान करनेवाला हो

Transliteration

medhāvī dhāraṇāyukto yathānyāyopapādakaḥ | dāntaḥ sadā priyābhāṣī kṣamāvāṁś ca viparyaye ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “A worthy person should be intelligent and endowed with steadiness of mind; able to act and reason in accordance with what is right; self-controlled; always gentle and pleasing in speech; and, even when faced with opposition or provocation, possessed of forgiveness.”

Word by Word

मेधावीintelligent, wise

धारणायुक्तःendowed with steadiness/retentive power

यथाas, according to

न्यायोपपादकःone who establishes/proves (things) by reasoning/justice

दान्तःself-controlled, restrained

सदाalways

प्रियाभाषीone who speaks pleasantly

क्षमावान्forbearing, forgiving

चand

विपर्ययेin adversity, in reverse circumstances

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma lists ethical qualities that sustain dharma: intelligence guided by steadiness, acting according to justice, restraint of the senses, gentle speech, and forgiveness even under provocation or adverse circumstances.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct, Bhishma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira by describing the virtues that should characterize a disciplined and dharmic person (especially fitting for rulers and leaders).