Shloka 18
Adhyāya 90 — Protection of Livelihoods, Brahmanical Subsistence Norms, and Royal Oversight (राष्ट्रवृत्ति-राष्ट्रगुप्ति-उपदेशः)
अमात्यानां च सर्वेषां मध्यस्थानां च सर्वश: । ये च त्वाभिप्रशंसेयुर्निन्दियुरथवा पुन:
amātyānāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ madhyasthānāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ | ye ca tvābhipraśaṃseyuḥ nindiyur athavā punaḥ ||
Bhishma dijo: «Y entre todos tus ministros, y asimismo entre todos los que ocupan una posición neutral o intermedia, averigua si te alabarán abiertamente o, por el contrario, volverán a censurarte».
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should take account of perspectives from both insiders (ministers) and impartial outsiders (neutral parties), including voices that praise and those that criticize, rather than relying only on flattering approval.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on rājadharma in the Śānti Parva, he is outlining categories of people whose opinions about the ruler—commendation or censure—should be considered when assessing conduct and policy.