Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

देशकालविधानन्ञान्‌ भर्त॒कार्यहितैषिण: । नित्यमर्थेषु सर्वेषु राजन्‌ कुर्वीत मन्त्रिण:

Transliteration

deśa-kāla-vidhāna-jñān bhartṛ-kārya-hitaiṣiṇaḥ | nityam artheṣu sarveṣu rājan kurvīta mantriṇaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “O King, ministers should be those who understand the proper ordering of place and time, who seek the welfare of their sovereign’s duties, and who, in every matter of state, constantly act with practical purpose and sound counsel.”

Word by Word

• देशकालविधानज्ञानान्: those who know the rules of place and time
• देशकालविधानज्ञानान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश-काल-विधान-ज्ञान
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• भर्तृकार्यहितैषिणः: seeking the welfare of the king's affairs (their master's work)
• भर्तृकार्यहितैषिणः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भर्तृ-कार्य-हित-एषिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• अर्थेषु: in matters/affairs
• अर्थेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कुर्वीत: should appoint/should employ/should make
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Vidhi-ling (Optative), Non-past (injunctive/optative sense), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मन्त्रिणः: ministers/counsellors
• मन्त्रिणः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• the King (rājan, addressed as Yudhiṣṭhira in context)
• ministers (mantriṇaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s ministers must combine ethical intent (seeking the king’s duty and welfare) with situational discernment—knowing how to apply policy appropriately according to place and time—so that counsel remains both righteous and effective in all affairs.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on kingship (rājadharma), Bhīṣma continues advising the king on governance, here describing the essential qualifications and constant responsibilities of ministers in managing state matters.