Shloka 39
Vyāghra–Gomāyu Saṃvāda (व्याघ्रगोमायु संवाद) — Testing Character Beneath Appearances
एवमस्त्विति तेनासौ मृगेन्द्रेणाभिपूजित: । प्राप्तवान् मतिसाचिव्यं गोमायुर्व्याप्रयोनित:
evam astv iti tenāsau mṛgendreṇābhipūjitaḥ | prāptavān matisācivyaṃ gomāyur vyāprayoniṭaḥ ||
“ਇਵੈਂ ਹੀ ਹੋਵੇ”—ਇਹ ਕਹਿ ਕੇ ਮ੍ਰਿਗੇਂਦ੍ਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਨੇ ਉਸ ਦਾ ਵੱਡਾ ਆਦਰ ਕੀਤਾ। ਨੀਚ ਕੁਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਜੰਮਿਆ ਉਹ ਗੋਮਾਯੂ (ਗਿੱਦੜ) ਨੀਤੀ ਤੇ ਬੁੱਧੀ ਦਾ ਸਲਾਹਕਾਰ-ਸਚਿਵ ਬਣ ਗਿਆ।
शार्टूल उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must appoint advisers through discernment and merit, not mere approval or flattery; otherwise unfit persons can gain power and distort righteous governance (dharma).
The lion agrees (“evam astu”), honors the jackal, and installs him in the role of an intelligence/counsel minister (matisācivya), despite the jackal being described as of low origin.