Shloka 50

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

Devanagari script

मन्त्रगूढा हि राज्यस्य मन्त्रिणो ये मनीषिण: । मन्त्रसंहननो राजा मन्त्राज्ञानीतरे जना:

Transliteration

mantragūḍhā hi rājyasya mantriṇo ye manīṣiṇaḥ | mantrasaṃhananaḥ rājā mantrājñānītare janāḥ ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଯେ ଜ୍ଞାନୀ ମନ୍ତ୍ରୀମାନେ ଅଛନ୍ତି, ସେମାନେ ରାଜ୍ୟର ଗୁପ୍ତ ମନ୍ତ୍ରକୁ ଗୋପନ ରଖନ୍ତି; କାରଣ ମନ୍ତ୍ରଣା ହିଁ ରାଜାଙ୍କର କବଚ ଓ ସଂହତି-ବଳ। ଅନ୍ୟମାନେ—ସଦସ୍ୟ, ପରିଚାରକ ଆଦି—ମନ୍ତ୍ରଣାର କେବଳ ଅଙ୍ଗ ଓ ସାଧନ; ମନ୍ତ୍ରତତ୍ତ୍ୱଜ୍ଞ ନୁହନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• मन्त्रगूढाः: keeping counsel/secret (lit. mantra-hidden)
• मन्त्रगूढाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्रगूढ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• राज्यस्य: of the kingdom/state
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• मन्त्रिणः: ministers/counsellors
• मन्त्रिणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ये: who/which
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मनीषिणः: wise men
• मनीषिणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनीषिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मन्त्रसंहननः: the consolidator/embodiment of counsel (lit. mantra-compactness)
• मन्त्रसंहननः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रसंहनन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मन्त्राज्ञानी: one who knows counsel/strategy
• मन्त्राज्ञानी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्राज्ञानी
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इतरे: others
• इतरे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इतर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जनाः: people/persons
• जनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• king (rājā)
• ministers (mantriṇaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Effective and ethical governance depends on confidential, well-guarded counsel: wise ministers protect the kingdom by preserving secrecy, because strategic deliberation functions as the king’s defense and strength.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rāja-dharma, Bhishma advises the king on principles of administration, emphasizing that ministers must conceal state counsel and that not everyone involved in deliberations truly understands or should access it.