Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 100, Shloka 15
शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma
Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare
कच्चिदात्मसमा श्शूरा श्श्रुतवन्तो जितेन्द्रियाः।कुलीनाश्चेङ्गितज्ञाश्च कृतास्ते तात मन्त्रिणः।।।।
kaccid ātmasamāḥ śūrāḥ śrutavanto jitendriyāḥ | kulīnāś ceṅgitajñāś ca kṛtās te tāta mantriṇaḥ ||
ತಾತನೇ, ನಿನ್ನ ಸಮಾನ ಸಾಮರ್ಥ್ಯದ—ಶೂರರು, ಶ್ರುತವಂತರು, ಜಿತೇಂದ್ರಿಯರು, ಕುಲೀನರು ಹಾಗೂ ಇಂಗಿತಜ್ಞರು—ಅವರನ್ನು ನೀನು ಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳಾಗಿ ನೇಮಿಸಿದ್ದೀಯೇ?
I hope, dear brother, you have appointed men who are brave, learned, self-controlled, of noble birth and skilled in guessing from hints.
FAQs
Just governance requires virtuous advisers: courage without restraint or learning is dangerous, so dharma demands ministers who combine competence with self-control.
Rāma continues his inquiry into Bharata’s administration, emphasizing the selection of capable counsellors.
Prudence in leadership—choosing advisers of integrity, intelligence, and discipline.