Shloka 34

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

Devanagari script

यस्तु संसहते तानि भर्तु: प्रियचिकीर्षया । समानसुखदु:खं तं पृच्छेदर्थेषु मानवम्‌

Transliteration

yastu saṃsahate tāni bhartuḥ priyacikīrṣayā | samānasukhaduḥkhaṃ taṃ pṛcchedartheṣu mānavam ||

Translation

Bhishma said: The man who, wishing to do what is pleasing to his master, patiently endures those behaviors, and who makes the king’s joy and sorrow his own—such a person is truly devoted. In all matters of state, the king should seek counsel from such a man.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक: य)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• संसहते: endures/tolerates
• Type: Verb
• Root: सह् (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• तानि: those (things)
• तानि: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक: त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• भर्तुः: of the master/lord
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• प्रियचिकीर्षया: with the wish to do what is pleasing
• प्रियचिकीर्षया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रियचिकीर्षा (प्रातिपदिक; चिकीर्षा < कृ धातु, desiderative sense)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• समानसुखदुःखम्: having equal pleasure and pain (as another)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समानसुखदुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक: त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पृच्छेत्: should ask/inquire
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• मानवम्: a man/person
• मानवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• king (implied)
• minister/counselor (implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king should rely on a counselor who is genuinely devoted: one who endures difficulties for the king’s good and who emotionally identifies with the king’s welfare, sharing both happiness and distress. Such loyalty and empathy are presented as the mark of a trustworthy adviser.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rāja-dharma, Bhishma is describing the qualities of a proper minister. He states that the king should consult, in all affairs, the person who can bear the king’s difficult conduct for the sake of pleasing and benefiting him, and who treats the king’s fortunes as his own.