Shloka 1.7.7
अमात्य-गुणवर्णनम् (The Virtues of Daśaratha’s Ministers and the Order of Governance)
क्रोधात्कामार्थहेतोर्वा न ब्रूयुरनृतं वच: ।तेषामविदितं किञ्चित्स्वेषु नास्ति परेषु वा ।क्रियमाणं कृतं वापि चारेणापि चिकीर्षितम् ।।।।
krodhāt kāmārtha-hetor vā na brūyur anṛtaṃ vacaḥ | teṣām aviditaṃ kiñcit sveṣu nāsti pareṣu vā | kriyamāṇaṃ kṛtaṃ vāpi cāreṇāpi cikīrṣitam ||
Whether from anger, desire, or the sake of gain, they would not utter untruthful words. Nothing—among their own side or among opponents—remained unknown to them: what was being done, what had been done, and what was intended, even through the use of spies.
Either in anger or for pecuniary gains or for fulfilment of desire, they never uttered an untrue or unjust word. In the midst of their own people or among their enemies, they knew, through spies everything being done or had been done or intended to be done in future.
Satya (truthfulness) is upheld as non-negotiable: righteous counselors do not resort to falsehood even under anger, desire, or greed.
The text is describing the ideal qualities of royal ministers—truthful speech and informed governance, including intelligence-gathering.
Integrity in speech (satya-vākya) combined with vigilant responsibility in statecraft.