Shloka 20

Devanagari script

अमात्ये हार्थलिप्सा च मन्त्ररक्षणमेव च । कृतानि सर्वकार्याणि यस्य पारिषदा विदु:

Transliteration

amātye hārthalipsā ca mantrarakṣaṇam eva ca | kṛtāni sarvakāryāṇi yasya pāriṣadā viduḥ ||

Translation

ਜਿਸ ਦੇ ਅਮਾਤ੍ਯ ਵਿੱਚ ਧਨ ਦੀ ਲਾਲਚ ਨਾ ਹੋਵੇ ਅਤੇ ਜੋ ਮੰਤ੍ਰ ਦੀ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੀ ਨਿਭੇੜਾ ਹੋਵੇ—ਉਸ ਰਾਜੇ ਬਾਰੇ ਸਭਾ ਦੇ ਸਦੱਸ ਸਮਝਦੇ ਹਨ ਕਿ ਉਸ ਦੇ ਸਾਰੇ ਕੰਮ ਮਾਨੋ ਹੋ ਹੀ ਚੁੱਕੇ ਹਨ।

Word by Word

अमात्येin/with regard to the minister

अर्थलिप्साdesire/greed for wealth

चand

मन्त्ररक्षणम्guarding/keeping of counsel (secrecy)

एवindeed/only

चand

कृतानिdone/accomplished

सर्वकार्याणिall tasks/affairs

यस्यwhose

पारिषदाःcouncillors/assembly-members

विदुःknow

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

amātya (minister)

pāriṣadāḥ (royal councillors)

mantra (state counsel/secret)

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?

A kingdom’s work succeeds when ministers are free from greed and when counsel is kept confidential; integrity and secrecy in policy-making are foundational to effective and righteous governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vidura is delivering niti (practical-ethical counsel) in the Udyoga Parva, describing the qualities by which advisers recognize a capable ruler/administration—especially the presence of an uncorrupt minister and the safeguarding of political deliberations.