Shloka 50
राजधर्मप्रश्नः — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry into Rājadharma (Śānti-parva 56)
प्रेष्प्माणा विकल्पन्ते गुह्मां चाप्पनुयुञ्जते । अयाच्य॑ चैव याचन्ते भोज्यान्याहारयन्ति च
preṣyamāṇā vikalpante guhyaṃ cāpy anuyuñjate | ayācyaṃ caiva yācante bhojyāny āhārayanti ca ||
Bhīṣma dijo: «Cuando a tales hombres se les envía a cumplir una tarea, siembran dudas sobre su logro al suscitar vacilaciones innecesarias. También husmean lo que debe permanecer secreto y exponen las faltas ocultas del rey. Piden lo que no debe pedirse, e incluso consumen los alimentos reservados para el monarca.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma warns that untrustworthy attendants undermine governance: they create doubt in missions, violate confidentiality, make improper demands, and misuse royal resources—traits a king should recognize and avoid.
In Bhishma’s instruction on righteous rule and administration, he describes the recognizable behaviors of corrupt or unsuitable servants/agents, illustrating how they harm a ruler’s effectiveness and dignity.