Shanti Parva Adhyaya 84 Shloka 43 - Mahabharata | Punjabi | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 43

Devanagari script

सत्यवाक्‌ शीलसम्पन्नो गम्भीर: सत्रपो मृदु: । पितृपैतामहो यः स्यात्‌ स मन्त्र श्रोतुमहति

Transliteration

satyavāk śīlasampanno gambhīraḥ satrapo mṛduḥ | pitṛpaitāmaho yaḥ syāt sa mantraṃ śrotum arhati ||

Translation

ਜੋ ਸੱਚ ਬੋਲਣ ਵਾਲਾ, ਚੰਗੇ ਚਰਿੱਤਰ ਵਾਲਾ, ਗੰਭੀਰ ਤੇ ਠਹਿਰਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ, ਲਾਜ਼-ਸ਼ਰਮ ਵਾਲਾ ਅਤੇ ਸੁਭਾਵ ਤੋਂ ਨਰਮ ਹੋਵੇ, ਅਤੇ ਜੋ ਪਿਉ-ਦਾਦੇ ਦੇ ਸਮੇਂ ਤੋਂ ਰਾਜੇ ਦੀ ਵੰਸ਼ਾਨੁਕ੍ਰਮਿਕ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰਦਾ ਆਇਆ ਹੋਵੇ—ਉਹ ਵੀ ਗੁਪਤ ਮੰਤ੍ਰਣਾ ਸੁਣਨ ਯੋਗ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

सत्यवाक्truth-speaking

शीलसम्पन्नःendowed with good conduct

गम्भीरःgrave, deep (in character)

सत्रपःmodest, possessing shame (sense of propriety)

मृदुःgentle, soft-natured

पितृपैतामहःconnected with father and grandfather (ancestral, from forefathers’ time)

यःwho

स्यात्may be / should be

सःhe

मन्त्रंsecret counsel, confidential plan

श्रोतुम्to hear

अर्हतिis worthy / deserves

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

king (rājā, implied)

hereditary royal servant/counsellor (implied)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Confidential political counsel should be entrusted only to a person of proven virtue—truthful speech, good character, gravity, modesty, and gentleness—whose loyalty is established through long, hereditary service; moral reliability is presented as the foundation of political trust.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma and governance in the Shanti Parva, he lists the qualities of a trustworthy attendant/counsellor who may be admitted to secret deliberations, emphasizing ethical character and tested loyalty.