Shloka 22
Chapter 81: Trust, Allies, and the Qualifications of the King’s Artha-Secretary (अर्थसचिव)
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medhāvī smṛtimān dakṣaḥ prakṛtyā cānṛśaṁsyavān | yo mānito ’vamānito vā na ca duṣyet kadācana ||
Bhīṣma dit : « Que l’homme intelligent, à la mémoire sûre, capable d’accomplir les tâches et naturellement compatissant—celui qui ne se souille jamais de ressentiment, qu’on l’honore ou qu’on l’insulte—demeure dans ta maison comme ministre, s’il est ton ṛtvij (prêtre officiant), ton ācārya (maître) ou un ami hautement estimé. Tu dois lui témoigner une vénération et un respect particuliers. »
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should appoint as minister a person of intelligence, memory, competence, and innate compassion, who remains free from spite whether praised or insulted; such steadiness and kindness make counsel trustworthy.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs the king on righteous governance, describing the qualifications of an ideal minister—especially emotional equanimity and benevolence—and urging the king to honor such a counselor.