Shloka 42

Mantri-Parīkṣā — Testing Ministers, Securing Counsel, and Ethical Criteria for Advisers (अध्याय ८४)

Devanagari script

ज्ञानविज्ञानसम्पन्न: प्रकृतिज्ञ: परात्मनो: । सुहृदात्मसमो राज्ञ: स मन्त्र श्रोतुमहति,जो ज्ञान-विज्ञानसे सम्पन्न, अपने और शशत्रुओंके पक्षके लोगोंकी प्रकृतिको परखनेवाला तथा राजाका अपने आत्माके समान अभिन्न सुहृद्‌ हो, वह गुप्त मन्त्रणा सुननेका अधिकारी है

Transliteration

jñāna-vijñāna-sampannaḥ prakṛti-jñaḥ parātmanoḥ | suhṛd ātma-samaḥ rājñaḥ sa mantraṃ śrotum arhati ||

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「知と実際の分別とを兼ね備え、味方と敵方の気質を正しく見抜き、王にとって自らの身にも等しい、善意に満ちた信友である者—その者のみが王の秘議を聴くにふさわしい。かかる聞き手は、忠誠と洞察と法（ダルマ）にかなう自制によって国策を守るのである。」

Word by Word

ज्ञानविज्ञानसम्पन्नःendowed with knowledge and discernment

प्रकृतिज्ञःknower of (people's) nature/temperament

परात्मनःof the supreme self / of the highest spirit

सुहृत्a well-wisher, friend

आत्मसमःequal to (one's) own self; as dear as oneself

राज्ञःof the king

सःhe

मन्त्रंsecret counsel, consultation

श्रोतुम्to hear

अर्हतिis entitled/deserves

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

king (rājā)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Confidential political counsel should be shared only with a person who combines theoretical knowledge with practical wisdom, can assess the temperaments of allies and opponents, and is a loyal well-wisher as trustworthy as the king himself—so that policy remains both effective and ethically safeguarded.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma advises the king about whom to admit into secret deliberations, defining the qualifications of a proper confidant for sensitive counsel.