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Shloka 18

Sevaka-parīkṣā (Testing and Appointment of Servants) and Rājadharma Outcomes

Devanagari script

शूरत्वयुक्ता मृदुमन्दवाक्या जितेन्द्रियाः सत्यपराक्रमाश्च / प्रागेव पश्चाद्विपरी तरुपा ये ते तु भृत्या न हिता भवन्ति

Transliteration

śūratvayuktā mṛdumandavākyā jitendriyāḥ satyaparākramāśca / prāgeva paścādviparī tarupā ye te tu bhṛtyā na hitā bhavanti

Translation

ഭൃത്യർ വീരന്മാരായി, മൃദു-മധുരവാക്യരായി, ജിതേന്ദ്രിയരായി, സത്യാധിഷ്ഠിത പരാക്രമമുള്ളവരായാലും—ആദ്യം ഒരുരൂപവും പിന്നെ സ്വഭാവത്തിൽ വിരുദ്ധരൂപവും ആകുന്നവർ ഹിതകര ഭൃത്യരല്ല।

Word by Word
शूरत्वheroism
शूरत्व:
Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
TypeNoun
Rootशूरत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया/सप्तमी?; समासपूर्वपदम् (युक्ताः इति सह) — Neuter; prior member in compound
युक्ताःendowed (with)
युक्ताः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootयुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < √युज् (धातु)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), विशेषणम् — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; past participle; in compound śūratva-yuktāḥ
मृदुgentle
मृदु:
Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमृदु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासपूर्वपदम् — prior member in compound
मन्दsoft/moderate
मन्द:
Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासपूर्वपदम् — prior member in compound
वाक्याःsoft-spoken
वाक्याः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootवाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; मृदुमन्दवाक्य (तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारय-प्रायः: मृदु-मन्दं वाक्यं यस्य) — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; compound adjective
जितconquered
जित:
Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootजित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < √जि (धातु)
Formसमासपूर्वपदम्; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — prior member; past participle
इन्द्रियाःsense-controlled
इन्द्रियाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootइन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; जितेन्द्रिय (तत्पुरुषः: इन्द्रियाणि जितानि येषाम्) — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; compound adjective
सत्यtrue
सत्य:
Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासपूर्वपदम् — prior member in compound
पराक्रमाःof true valor
पराक्रमाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपराक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सत्यपराक्रम (कर्मधारयः: सत्यः पराक्रमः येषाम्) — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; compound adjective
चand
च:
Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction) — and
प्राक्before/earlier
प्राक्:
Adhikarana (Location/Time)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्राक् (अव्यय)
Formकाल/देश-अव्ययम् (adverb) — adverb of time/space
एवindeed/just
एव:
Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारण-अव्ययम् (emphatic particle) — emphasis
पश्चात्after/later
पश्चात्:
Adhikarana (Location/Time)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपश्चात् (अव्यय)
Formकाल-अव्ययम् (adverb) — adverb of time
विपरीतcontrary
विपरीत:
Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootविपरीत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासपूर्वपदम् — prior member in compound
रूपाःof opposite nature
रूपाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विपरीतरूप (कर्मधारयः: विपरीतं रूपं येषाम्) — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; compound adjective
येwho (those who)
ये:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural (relative pronoun)
तेthey
ते:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural (correlative)
तुbut
तु:
Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formविरोध/अन्वय-अव्ययम् (particle) — but/indeed
भृत्याःservants
भृत्याः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootभृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural
नnot
न:
Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्ययम् — negation
हिताःbeneficial/loyal
हिताः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < √धा (धातु) (हित = placed/beneficial)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (भृत्याः इति) — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; adjective
भवन्तिbecome/are
भवन्ति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√भू (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Present, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True benefit in service depends on stable character; outward virtues without consistency become adharma in practice.

Vedantic Theme: Sattva vs. tamas/rajas in conduct; the unreliability of māyā-like appearances—judge by sustained guna-driven behavior.

Application: In hiring/alliances: evaluate consistency over time; use probation, reference checks, and stress-tests for integrity rather than relying on charm or initial performance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: royal household/court (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.112 (bhrtya-pariksha/servant-evaluation sequence)

FAQs

This verse stresses that outward virtues can be deceptive; consistent conduct over time is the true measure of whether someone is genuinely beneficial and trustworthy.

It supports the Purana’s dharmic emphasis on inner nature (svabhāva) and steadiness in virtue, warning that reversals in conduct undermine reliability and righteous living.

Evaluate people by long-term consistency—especially in roles of trust—rather than by initial impressions, pleasing speech, or performative self-control.

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