Mantri-Parīkṣā — Testing Ministers, Securing Counsel, and Ethical Criteria for Advisers (अध्याय ८४)
अमानी सत्यवान क्षान्तो जितात्मा मानसंयुत: । स ते मन्त्रसहाय: स्यात् सर्वावस्थापरीक्षित:
amānī satyavān kṣānto jitātmā mānasaṁyutaḥ | sa te mantrasahāyaḥ syāt sarvāvasthāparīkṣitaḥ ||
ພີດສະມະກ່າວວ່າ: ຈົ່ງໃຫ້ຜູ້ທີ່ບໍ່ຫຍິ້ງຍໂສ, ຊື່ສັດ, ອົດທົນ, ຄວບຄຸມຕົນໄດ້, ແລະມີໃຈມີວິໄນ ເປັນຜູ້ຊ່ວຍໃນການປຶກສາລັບ. ຜູ້ທີ່ຖືກທົດສອບໃນທຸກສະພາບຂອງຊີວິດນັ້ນເທົ່ານັ້ນ ຈຶ່ງເໝາະສົມຈະຊ່ວຍໃນການປຶກສາຢ່າງລັບເລັບ.
भीष्म उवाच
A ruler should choose a confidential adviser only if he is humble, truthful, patient, self-mastered, mentally disciplined, and—most importantly—proven reliable across all circumstances; ethical steadiness is the basis of trust in counsel.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous governance, Bhīṣma lays down criteria for selecting a person fit to assist in secret deliberations, emphasizing tested character over mere ability.