Shloka 9
दानपात्रापात्र-निर्णयः / Determining Worthy Gifts, Recipients, and Permissible Food
बृहस्पतिपुरोगांस्तु देवर्षीनसकृत् प्रभु: । तोषयित्वोपचारेण राजनीतिमधीतवान्
bṛhaspatipurogāṁstu devarṣīn asakṛt prabhuḥ | toṣayitvopacāreṇa rājānītim adhītavān ||
ആ പ്രഭു (ഭീഷ്മൻ) ബൃഹസ്പതിയെ മുൻപിൽ നിർത്തി ദേവർഷിമാരെ പുനഃപുനഃ യഥോചിത ഉപചാരസേവകളാൽ സന്തോഷിപ്പിച്ചു; അങ്ങനെ രാജനീതിശാസ്ത്രം അഭ്യസിച്ചു.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
True rāja-nīti (statecraft) is not mere strategy; it is disciplined learning received from authoritative sages and grounded in humility—shown by repeated respectful service (upacāra) to one’s teachers.
Vaiśampāyana describes Bhīṣma’s preparation: he repeatedly attended upon and pleased the devarṣis led by Bṛhaspati, and through that relationship of service and instruction he mastered the principles of governance.