Shloka 29
Mantri-Parīkṣā — Testing Ministers, Securing Counsel, and Ethical Criteria for Advisers (अध्याय ८४)
केवलात् पुनरादानात् कर्मणो नोपपद्यते । परामर्शो विशेषाणामश्रुतस्येह दुर्मते:
kevalāt punarādānāt karmaṇo nopapadyate | parāmarśo viśeṣāṇām aśrutasyeha durmateḥ ||
Bhishma said: Mere assumption of an office or undertaking a task by itself does not bring success. In this world, a man of perverse judgment who has not studied the authoritative teachings cannot offer sound counsel on matters requiring special discernment.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Authority or responsibility alone does not ensure right outcomes; sound governance requires trained understanding (śāstra-śravaṇa) and clear judgment, especially in specialized matters.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on statecraft and dharma, Bhishma warns that an uneducated, ill-judging person cannot succeed merely by taking up ministerial work, and his advice on complex issues will be unreliable.