Shloka 30
कथं मन्त्रिष्व् अमात्येषु बाह्येष्व् आभ्यन्तरेषु च चारेषु पौरवर्गेषु शङ्कितेष्व् इतरेषु च
kathaṃ mantriṣv amātyeṣu bāhyeṣv ābhyantareṣu ca cāreṣu pauravargeṣu śaṅkiteṣv itareṣu ca
How is a king to proceed regarding his counsellors and ministers—regarding spies both external and internal—and regarding the townsmen, those who are under suspicion, and all others besides?
Maitreya (questioning Sage Parāśara)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Further interrogation of Prahlāda: ministers, internal/external spies, citizens, and handling suspicion.
Teaching: Historical
Quality: authoritative
Concept: Power structures revolve around counsel, intelligence networks, and public trust; suspicion must be governed by discernment to avoid injustice.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: In organizations, build transparent accountability: verify information, avoid paranoia, and treat people fairly while managing risk.
Vishishtadvaita: Dharma includes protection of subjects as ‘belonging to the Lord’; governance is stewardship, not exploitation (implied contrast to asuric paranoia).
Phase: Teaching (Prahlada's schools)
Bhakti Quality: Unworldly clarity amid worldly questions—Prahlāda is being pushed toward covert governance (spies/suspicion).
FAQs
This verse frames intelligence—both external and internal—as essential to dharmic sovereignty, enabling the king to protect social order without descending into arbitrary rule.
In this dialogue, Maitreya’s question sets up Parāśara’s guidance on rāja-dharma: a king must evaluate ministers, officials, and civic groups carefully, distinguishing loyalty, competence, and potential threat.
Even when discussing statecraft, the Purana’s underlying premise is that just rule sustains the world—mirroring Vishnu’s cosmic function of preservation (sthiti) through dharma and rightful authority.